Life's Way
by Phantom105
Summary: Love is a funny thing. Love is something that Ulquiorra once prized not being able to feel, but once he has a taste of it, he can't stay away...
1. Unknown Soldier

Hey guys! Welcome to my new story! Im sorry for all the followers of "Night on the Town" (you guys are awesome btw), but i have decided to start this one before finishing that one. Don't worry yourselves, it WILL be complete, promise :D So this is a new idea i came up with. I actually had a dream that lead to a part of this story which lead me to think of the rest. It will be a longer one (right now guessing around 10 chapters) but this number could very well go up. I come up with new things every day :D Any ideas for future chapters are more than welcome, in fact i would love to see what you guys can come up with ^^ Also before each chapter there will be a song that (imo) outlines the chapter well, so if you want insight into what you're going to be reading, thats what those lyrics are there for. So, without futher ranting, here is a wonderful disclaimer X3

I dont own bleach, happy? Enjoy! ^^

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____Borderline, dead inside_

___I don't mind, falling to pieces_

_Counting in, violin_

_Let's begin, feeding the sickness_

_How do I, simplify, dislocate_

_The Enemy's on the way…_

_Show me what it's like_

_To dream in black and white_

_So I can leave this world tonight_

_Full of fear, ever clear_

_I'll be here, fighting forever_

_Curious, venomous_

_You'll find me, climbing to heaven_

_Never mind, turn back time_

_You'll be fine, I will get left behind…_

_Unknown Soldier - Breaking Benjamin_

Things had been odd lately. Odd, to say the least-quiet, and dare he say calm. It seemed as though everyone was inactive, spending most of the day lounging in their rooms or crawling around the palace with no destination in mind. Even the more talkative ones such as Grimmjow were remaining under the radar recently. Why, he couldn't figure out. Very odd indeed.

Ulquiorra stood in the throne room, its massively high ceiling, the throne itself, and his master above him. The size itself was intimidating to the average mind. The rest of the large room was empty. He swore he could hear his master's breathing, the sound echoing from the walls. The walls were void of any color or windows, all that show on their surface was a blinding white. The floors were a mirrored surface. They only served to let others see the fear that was held in their own eyes, and rightfully so.

It was right to fear Aizen, he was anything but a kind hearted person, if one could call him a person.

The fourth stood respectfully, waiting for his Lord to say something. It was Aizen's way to make his minions wait for periods of time before speaking, something to do with more intimidation, he guessed. However, Ulquiorra showed no fear. He very rarely showed any type of emotion in fact. He was emptiness, void of any feelings that otherwise plagued others. Some would call it an advantage, and this is what he had called it for hundreds of years. However, recently this notion was becoming quite unpopular with the Fourth Espada. He didn't know what these things he had been feeling were, and to say they vexed him a bit would be an understatement. It was a constant battle to keep these things hidden under his mask. No one was to know of this ailment he was going through.

"Now, Ulquiorra," Lord Aizen finally began, "I want to talk to you about a very important task I have for you."

The man got up from his large white throne, and began to walk down the stairs to stand in front of Ulquiorra. He never flinched, even in the presence of raw power itself.

"I am yours to command, master," he replied to the brown haired man in front of him. An evil smirk crawled onto the man's face

"As you a well aware of, everything is going as planned. The Shinigami have been scared back to their precious Soul Society, bruised and bleeding. Total victory is not far away," he spoke with such confidence. What he said was true, though. Many of the Shinigami had been defeated, and their armies were scattered and weak. The ones that had not perished in battle had escaped back to Soul Society to regroup. Although what this would really do for them, he hadn't a clue. They didn't have the numbers or the strength to defeat the Arrancar anymore, if they ever did.

"I know how you are Ulquiorra, you like things straight to the point, so I won't bother with details that waste your and my time. I no longer have any use for that woman, Orihime. She is doing nothing more than dragging us down at the moment, and I can't have that is our hour of victory," he started. A growing pit in Ulquiorra's stomach grew even more at his master's words. The room suddenly seemed unbearable to him, and he had an unknown desire to leave immediately.

"I want you to kill her," he finished. Ulquiorra felt every muscle clench. The hair on the back of his neck bristled. This was the moment all those nightmares had all led up to. Every sleepless night, every time he woke up in a cold sweat; confused, disoriented. Waking up every time, unable to breathe, chest in a tight knot. So tight, it hurt. Hurt to breathe, to move. Hurt to do anything but bring himself more pain. They all ended the same, every single one. Each time, he would be standing in the throne room, waiting to receive orders from Aizen. Sadly, the order was always the same. 'Kill her', he would tell him. What happened next was always different, but he preferred not to relive any of it.

Thankfully, he hid this all well, and was sure his master didn't take notice of it.

"I don't care how it is done, but I want the end result to be the same," he said, looking deep into Ulquiorra's eyes. The intense green color of them never faltered, staring right back into the man's brown eyes. The black haired male knew this was another technique of Aizen's, a weak attempt to put him in his place to complete his will. "I trust you will complete this?"

Ulquiorra swallowed, struggling to keep his mask in place. His eyes remained the same, but inside, he was screaming. Complete turmoil was all that enveloped him. He was torn by his duty and the newly discovered sensations inside his chest. Torn by his want, and his need. His want to keep loyal to his master, but his need to have the woman in question be his. These two feelings would be the death of him…

"Yes, master," the Espada finally replied in his normal tone. It was becoming harder and harder to keep his voice from cracking, and he hoped Aizen would let him go soon. The older male backed away from him, satisfied with his answer.

"Good, good," he turned away and began walking back to his throne, "you have seven days to complete this. Be warned that if it not completed, there will be severe consequences for both of you," he warned with his normal tone of voice. None of this seemed to faze him at all, just business as usual.

He feared what would be done should he fail to complete the task set to him. Death would be a much kinder punishment, that was for sure. At least in death he could retain some of his dignity instead of having it stripped away. Aizen was not one for mercy when things didn't go his way.

"I understand, my Lord," was Ulquiorra's response.

Aizen made his way back up the stairs to his seat, sitting down with a grace uncharacteristic of such an evil being. The man himself was a contradiction. "Good, now you are dismissed. Sleep well, my dear Espada," he bid Ulquiorra, continuing to stare at him. Ulquiorra bowed before him, then turned on his heels and made his way from the room. The will to exit the area as fast as possible nagged at his feet, but he kept them in a constant pace. The disgust he felt for the man was well kept, but getting harder and harder to conceal. How he could sit and order a death warrant from him, and then bid him a good night's sleep, was beyond him. Just utterly disgusting.

When the tall doors closed behind him, a sigh of relief escaped his lips. It felt like coming up from deep underwater to the surface. He was able to breathe once more. The fourth gave himself a few moments to stand and collect his thoughts, before he began to make his way to his room. Luckily, it wasn't too far away.

The lights in the hallway were bright, blinding in fact. Everything about the place was white. It resembled a hotel really, in the fact that even though everyone was asleep, all aspects of the palace remained running. One would never know that it was the accepted time for the Espada to sleep. Servant Arrancar rarely slept, as they were expected to be available for use to the Espada at all times. They bustled around the halls at all times of day, even in the dead of 'night'.

O_o o_O

Ulquiorra's mind reeled. Seven days; seven days to kill her. Seven days to build up his courage and rid himself of these horrid aliments that were lassoing him in like prey. _It's just an order,_ he thought to himself. Stopping dead in his tracks, he mentally slapped himself, shaking his head at his own thoughts. _What am I thinking?_ A low, aggravated sigh escaped him. _Seven days…_ What could he really do to save her? The amount of time he had was nowhere near enough to put together a fool-proof plan, even a faulty one would never even have enough time to mature.

As he continued walking down the hallway, he passed one of the servants that was attending to Orihime during the day. "Lord Schiffer, good evening," the little being said to him, bowing respectfully. This was quite normal, in fact servants were required to pay respects to their superiors, not doing so would ensure serious consequences.

"What is the woman's status?" he asked the servant in his normal tone.

"Normal, my Lord. She was given her food and I personally made sure she ate it," was his reply. He struggled to keep his resolve strong under the intense glare of the black haired man. His stare was beautiful, yet deadly.

Ulquiorra's eyes suddenly locked onto the arrancar in a deadly fashion. The little servant suddenly knew he was in very real danger from the Fourth Espada. The whole staff of servants knew very well that the Fourth Espada was the last one you wanted to upset. He tended to be very unforgiving to say the least.

"What did you do to her?" he asked threateningly. He had the arrancar backed into the wall. He was cowering in fear of the deadly Espada before him. He knew that if the man decided to lash out at him, there was no chance for survival. When the Fourth went out, he went for blood.

"N-nothing my Lord! I just stood and made sure she ate like you had ordered!" he cried to his superior, desperation lacing his voice. Hearing his words didn't put Ulquiorra at ease however. In fact, it only infuriated him more.

"And you will be wise to continue to do so, trash," he added, before backing away. The smaller being simply remained in the same cowardice state. He didn't dare look at the power Espada, fearing that looks alone could kill. He wanted to appear as harmless as possible, and looking at the other male would only encourage him to fight. It could be the one action that broke his last bits of self control that were currently sparing his pathetic life. He would happily give up his reputation for his life.

"Get out of my sight, filth," Ulquiorra commanded, anger slipping out with his voice. His chest was tightening at a rapid pace. What was this? This gripping claw that ripped at his chest, as if tearing through the very gore that filled the cavity. It was painful, to say the least. Although if the pain was physical or mental, was hard to distinguish. Pain within the mind was always much harder to recognize. Pain in the mind was controllable, yet physical was not. …So why could this now physical AND mental state not be controlled?

What was this? This…feeling?

"Yes Lord Schiffer, as you command!" the little masked creature blurted out hastily at his superior's words, not wasting a moment in getting out of the situation as soon as possible. He scurried back in the opposite direction as quickly as his legs would carry him, until he was safely around the corner and out of sight.

Ulquiorra didn't bother to turn his head to see what was happening around in the other direction; he didn't care. Closing his eyes and sighing, he tried to get the lasso that seemed to be receding a bit to his relief. After noticing how hard it was to reopen his eyes, he decided that now was not the time to worry about such things. He was on a schedule, and next on it was sleep. And so, his journey back to his room continued.

He arrived at his room, his trip uninterrupted this time. The door stood erect in front of him, reaching up to the height of the ceilings. A large, black, gothic '4' was painted on the surface of the barrier, signifying it as his living space.

Pushing on the surface with his hand, it opened with ease for him. Artificial light flooded into his room like a wave of water, quickly filling the empty darkness. Sighing, the owner of the room walked into its space, the heavy stone grey doors closing behind him. All that was left was the darkness that had once again consumed the room. A small amount of light managed to enter from a large window on the far wall of his room. Staring at the large moon that was clearly visible, he wondered, _is she looking at it as well?_

Shaking his head to rid his mind of such poisonous thoughts. Such things were not of his concern, nor should he ever be thinking about them. _It doesn't matter one way or another, _he though, _she will die within one week anyway by my hands… _The very fists in question clenched for a split second. Ulquiorra tried to relax his body, although it seemed to be trying to tell him something, urgently. Shaking it off, he decided it wasn't important at the time. The next thing to be accomplished was sleep, and it was highly desired by the exhausted Fourth Espada. Moving closer to the large, dark covered bed that sat on the far right wall of the room. Lifting the blankets, he pushed himself up into the warmth and laid down on the soft pillow. He hoped tonight would be different than all the other sleepless nights he suffered through. Almost every night he was plagued by hellish nightmares that would either wake him, or leave him in a cold sweat upon morning. He hadn't a clue why these were happening, but the topic for them was always the same. …_Her_

Feeling that thinking about the matter would only make it worse, Ulquiorra closed his eyes and prepared for whatever his mind may throw at him that night.

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And there you have it, first installment of this shindig. Poor Ulquiorra, he got quite the mission D: That Aizen sure is a sick mofo. What will Ulqui decide to do? That will come later ;) (lol i just teased you all, im so bad!)

And sounds like he's having problems sleeping due to nightmares? Wonder what that must be about.

Cookies to reviewers! Thanks guys! And if you thought this chapter was boring, i promise action in the next...no really, i do.

Cheers


	2. Awake and Alive

:D Welcome back all! ^^ As promised, this chapter has a lot more action for u addicts (including myself) out there. I would like to extend a very warm thanks to all my reviewers, past stories and this one. You guys all pwn D Now for this chapter, i'd like to put a warning out there, there is a lot of violence, killing, blood, gore, self torture, and even suicide, but it ends happy, i promise :D Once again ideas for future chapters are always welcome, so leave them in the form of a review plz ^^ And song is also there, so if you want any insight as to what the chapter is like, read the song lyrics, plz and ty. Enjoy

Btw i have been trying to upload this chapter for a couple days now but fanfic has been having some web server issues, so i wasnt able to add it, sorry guys D:

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_I'm at war with the world and they_

_Try to pull me into the dark_

_I struggle to find my faith_

_As I'm slipping from your arms_

_It's getting harder to stay awake_

_And my strength is fading fast_

_You breathe into me at last_

_In the dark_

_I can feel you in my sleep_

_In your arms I feel you breathe into me_

_Forever hold this heart that I will give to you_

_Forever I will live for you_

_I'm awake, I'm alive_

_Now I know what I believe inside_

_Now, it's my time_

_I'll do what I want, 'cause this is my life_

_Here, right now_

_I'll stand my ground and never back down_

_I know what I believe inside_

_I'm awake and I'm alive_

_Awake and Alive - Skillet_

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This feeling…this feeling of weightlessness. This feeling of being detached from reality, cut off from the outside world. It felt like being underwater; he couldn't focus on anything. He felt lost within the world his eyes were feeding him. All the sounds around him were muffled and hard to make out. Were there really any sounds at all? The fourth couldn't tell. He felt so groggy and tired, questioning whether any of this was really happening at all.

He was in a brightly lit room that resembled his own exactly. The light was almost pure white, brighter than the sun on a hot summer day. He felt very confused, having no idea how he had gotten here, or where 'here' even was.

His sense of smell kicked in suddenly, unleashing the thick, cloudy scent of blood upon him. It surrounded him like a thick fog, purging his thoughts. That is when he noticed a sticky, warm wetness covering his hands. Bringing his hands up to eye level, all cloudiness that had once filled his world was now gone within a single instant. His tunnel vision was now liberated, and he could see the world clearly.

Whether he wanted to or not.

Dark red stained his hands, dripping down his wrists and staining his white coat. He gasped at the sight, feeling far less in control of his actions than he normally was.

Eyes widening at the sight, his breathing became erratic. _What the hell is going on?_

His eyes then landed on something lying on the floor. A form…_a body._ A pool of blood surrounded the victim, coloring the clothing deep red. The liquid seeped down the cracks in the flooring, traveling a ways away from the body.

Gazing at the form, Ulquiorra took in all the details of it. _White arrancar uniform, female, a-and…_

His breath caught in his throat.

_Fiery red hair…_

No, it couldn't be. Had he really…killed her? Had he really given into Aizen's murderous deeds? No, this couldn't be happening, not yet. He couldn't remember ever even seeing her that day, when had all this happened?

His curiosity drove him to walk on shaking legs around to see the front of the body. The sight horrified him. A large bleeding hole showed itself right in the center of her chest. Bones and other gore could be seen through the hole as it profusely bled onto the marble flooring. The gaping hole stared him down, like it was trying to lock his eyes to itself. It burned his eyes to look at it, as if acid was shooting out into them just from sight alone. Beside her body lay an organ he was haunted by constantly.

_Her heart._

The unmoving organ sat next to the hole on the ground, as if mocking and taunting him for his apparent deeds.

"No, I didn't…" is said quietly to himself, backing up into the wall behind him. His own chest tightened violently. He swore he could feel it pulse…like a beating heart, "…I couldn't have."

Staring at the mocking organ, pain apparent on his facial features, his whole body cringed tightly. A stream of panicking groans escaped his throat as he fisted at his chest, gripping the white fabric he was wearing. "I didn't do it," he growled to himself.

This was unlike any other type of pain he had ever experienced. So deep, it ran to the bone, shaking them endlessly. It ran through his blood, controlling his nerve and surging through his veins. It coursed through his lungs up into his head, where it began to smother his brain. It clouded his entire though process, leaving him in a primal mode. It was all encompassing, and was taking him down faster than anything ever had before.

Bringing his hands up to his face, he dragged his spread out fingers down his face, leaving red trail marks of blood down it. His teeth grit together, trying to cope with this immense sense of pain he was being flooded with.

Fisting his jet black hair, he tried to rip it out in gobs. He tried to counter the immense throbbing with his own physical abuse, as one hand ripped out a little bunch of black hair. Not even looking at it, he threw it to the side and let it fall to the floor, only going back up for more. However, none of this pain was anything compared to the violent pulsing of his chest that-with every pulse- threatened to rip his innards out of him.

"I'm a monster," Ulquiorra growled loudly, "only a monster would do such a thing." Ulquiorra stood, staring into Orihime's dead, silver eyes. Those eyes; the eyes he had grown attached to, whether he cared to admit it or not.

Taking a couple labored breaths, Ulquiorra's predatory eyes suddenly caught sight of an oddly placed mirror on the wall. Staggering over and focusing in on it, he saw his reflection. Although, this man was not him. He looked exactly like him in every way, but he knew within only a second that there was no way this could be himself. No, this…creature…was a killer, a cold blooded predator. Red, bloody lines down his face covered his striking green tear markings, that only added to his sorrowful appearance.

Extreme anger suddenly exploded from his body, driving him completely insane in an instant. His hands grasped his half helmet atop his head savagely. He fought to rip it away, pulling and jerking on it with all his strength. Still, the bone helmet would not budge. A scratchy scream exploded out of him as the force from his harsh pulling threatened to break his own vertebrae. All logical senses and thoughts were long gone, and everything was only running on quick reactions now.

Wrapping his bloody fingers under the edge of the bone, his tried desperately to pry it off that way. It tore at the skin of his skull , only adding more agony to his wailing body. His teeth grit with one last failed attempt to remove the thing that made him this monster.

Catching another glimpse of himself in the mirror, he grimaced. This was not him at all; his canine teeth were sharp and a bit longer than normal, blood dripped from his face, mouth, head, and hands. The helmet remained attached to his head, and the hole in his chest cackled at him in a mocking tone.

There was no escape from this life, none.

His eyes fell to the sword that lay on his hip. His bloody hand grasped the handle, pulling the blade from its covering without a thought. He observed the blade, noting its shining silvery surface and the way the tip was pointed and sharp. Taking one last look at Orihime, he said, "I am tainted, stained with the blood of one so innocent and pure. That itself is worth the punishment of death."

Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled the sword up with the pointed end touching down on the soft flesh between the collar bone and neck.

This life was no longer worth living, and he planned to end it quickly.

In a stunning show of emotion, his eyes began to prink. Something inside him was begging and pleading for him to reconsider his actions, but all logic had left him. There was no turning back now.

With one powerful thrust, he drove the sword hilt deep through the skin and down through his torso. He gasped, coughing up blood as it pierced his lungs and broke all ribs in its path. The red liquid oozed out his mouth and soon began leaking from under the blade's hilt.

A tortured, dying scream left his throat, making a gurgling sound as he tried to gasp for air. The agony was greater than anything he had ever imagined possible. It was worse than burning to death, or drowning. All he wanted to do was to stop breathing, to cease the burn that encompassed his chest with every life-stealing breath. Still, this was not punishment enough.

Falling to his knees, his hands desperately squeezed the handle of the sword, shaking and knocking the blade around inside himself. He looked into her eyes in front of him again. They were the same as the last time he looked into them, dead and cold, like his own.

He took his final breath; the road was ended. It was a dead end. There was nowhere to go, death had its claws around him, and was never going to let go. All thoughts stopped as his leg muscles lost all their strength. His body was shut down.

In the end, he was no better than the monster he told himself over and over again he was not.

He began falling to the ground. At the instant he was about to land with his face against the floor, everything suddenly stopped, frozen in time. Then…blackness.

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:O O:

The fourth Espada shot out of bed as fast as his muscles would let him. He sat there, chest sharply rising and falling, gasping hard for air and sweating profusely. His body was cold and damp, his bedclothes sopping wet. His black hair stuck to his damp face. He brought his hands up to his face, holding it in them. _What the hell was that?_

He looked around the room. He saw that he was indeed alive, and in his bed. There was nothing obscure about his room, no bodies or blood covering the floor as it had before. There was no sword stuck in his neck, no agonizing pain or pulsing in his mind. He in fact felt very awake, and very alive.

The room was dark; only the light from the moon gently illuminated the space. The space around him was empty of any chaos; only peace seemed to suffocate the area.

He groaned, looking at his hands with fear. Every fiber of his being wished for none of what had just happened to be true. None of the bloodshed, none of the pain, the killing. None of it.

They were clean.

A sigh of relief left him.

_It was only a dream…_

Ulquiorra struggled to get his breathing under control as he went over what he had dreamt in his head once more. He had acted so violent, so uncharacteristic of him. He acted as though none of his intelligence could have ever saved him, and as he saw, it didn't do one bit of good to stay his blade from his own flesh. All this time, he had thought himself above such a thing as taking one's own life, but now he saw, he was no different deep down.

His thoughts drifted back to the images of the woman laying on the cold ground, all life having left her body. What had driven him to do that? Would he really kill her? Before that dream, Ulquiorra's decision had been a hard one, but now he saw there was no choice in the matter. There was no way in hell he could ever see Orihime like that ever again, nor did he want to see himself in that condition either.

With those thoughts came back the tight sensation in his chest. Giving a small groan at the feeling and sealing his eyes shut, he could only wonder what was causing this. Every time it happened, he seemed to be thinking of her. His chest would always pound like a heart. What was it trying to tell him?

Could his own body be showing him the way? Did his body really know the path he was meant to go down? Ulquiorra couldn't grasp the fact of him really gaining a heart, such a thing was inconceivable.

Still, none of this was leading him any closer to finding out what this feeling was.

Then, with one hard pump from inside his chest, he seemed to suddenly know the answer. It was as if someone had switched on the lights in his mind, and the smoke clouding the answer from him was finally gone.

_Heartache._

Second chapter done :D Any thoughts? Leave them in a review plz!

Cheers


	3. Show Me, Onna

Hey guys! First of all i would like to extend my greatest thanks to those who have reviewed this far. You guys are great, and i really appreciate your feedback! Now that i am able to actually add chapters to my stories (about time, but glad its back nonetheless), updates will be regular. I try to carry a journal with me at school so if i have some free time i can write a bit of a chapter. Crew has started, so that will unfortunately, take up a lot of my time once regattas start up here soon. So, as a result i am working furiously on this to try and get it to a good point where there can be a bit of a break for me. Anyway, lighter load than last chapter, so no warning this time ^^ Once again if you want insight as to what the chapter is about, read the lyrics to the songs, i dont just randomly pick those out for no reason XD

Enjoy

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_Wait, I'm Wrong_

_Should have done better than this_

_Please, I'll be strong_

_I'm finding it hard to resist_

_So Show me what I'm looking for_

_Don't let go_

_I've wanted this far too long_

_Mistakes become regrets_

_I've learned to love abuse_

_Please show me what I'm looking for_

_Save me, I'm lost_

_Oh lord, I've been waiting for you_

_I'll pay any cost_

_Save me from being confused_

_Show me what I'm looking for_

_Show Me What I'm Looking For - Carolina Liar_

* * *

A few hours had passed since the Fourth Espada had left him room, after having the worst night he could remember thus far. But it had been important, nonetheless. It had led him to easily be able to make up his mind about what to do regarding his current situation. How it was not clear before, he wasn't sure.

However, deciding on how this new decision should be carried out was somewhat more difficult. Would it be easier to try and convince his master of the woman's importance, or to devise a plan of escape?

Either way, the outcome needed to be the same; Orihime would make it back safely to the human world.

Being that it was still very early in the morning, there were very few others wandering the hallways. As a result, the walk to the woman's room was a quiet one. Though any other time he would have enjoyed the silence, this was not one of those times. The surrounding silence only seemed to add to the edgy feeling he already had. He knew there was nothing different about this walk than any other. He made this walk a couple times each day after all. Still, he felt…changed.

Reaching the woman's door to the cell, he pushed it open and quietly made his way inside. After closing the door behind him, he stood silently for a bit.

The room was dark and cool. Only the light from the ever-lasting moon, seeped through the small window that lay high above the floor. It seemed to glow eerily on the flooring, reflecting off its surface.

His vivid green eyes locked onto the woman's force. A small breath of relief left his throat. It was the final confirmation he needed to prove to himself that last night had been only a dream. Orihime was still sleeping, curled up in her bed with the blankets tucked tightly around her. She seemed to peaceful while sleeping.

Walking closer to the bed, he saw her face come into view. She had a pained expression, which far contradicted her sleeping form. He closed his eyes, a pang of guilt gripping him. Sighing, he tried to push the feeling away. _All will be ok in the end, I promise…_

He moved closer to the side of the bed. He seemed to be conflicted with what to do next. How badly he wanted to be with her, to have her, to be the only one she touches and loves. On the other hand, he also knew that she should never love him. All he could ever do was bring her pain and unhappiness. A monster such as himself was incapable of loving in the way she rightfully deserved.

Ulquiorra's hand slowly reached out to her. He wanted to touch her so badly, only if for a second. But no matter what he told himself inside, there was always that invisible wall between them, the wall that kept arrancar and human separate, the one that made him question every one of his thoughts.

His fingers lightly graced her cheek. A sigh escaped his throat , feeling the softness of her skin on the pads of his fingers. He knew this was wrong, so wrong…

But he couldn't stop.

Ulquiorra began tracing the back of his hand against the line of her jaw, reveling in the soft feeling of her flesh against his own. Never before had he felt something so soft and gentle. It almost frightened him to touch her, fearing that he could somehow take away that glow she still had radiating off her being.

To his amazement, she didn't pull away from his touch, like he had always believed she would. Why wouldn't she? He had never given her a reason to let him anywhere near her. She would be insane to think of him as friend, or even an acquaintance. Anything other than an enemy, he was not deserving of.

He kneeled down next to the side of the bed, continuing to stroke her cheek gently. How he wanted to stay like this forever. Simply being in her presence was enough to keep him alive for all of time.

"Why do I feel this way towards you?" he asked deeply. She didn't respond, only continued to sleep quietly. He didn't expect an answer.

Ulquiorra laid his head down on the bed in his other arm. He was still very tired from not sleeping, and it was starting to take its toll on his body and mind. Sighing, he let his eyes close, leaving his mind in blackness before he drifted into a gentle sleep.

* * *

Aizen walked out of his personal quarters after a good-night's sleep. It was a new day; a new day to move steps closer to his end goal of complete annihilation of the Soul Society. The air burst with energy around him, and he was ready to take it all on.

The brown haired man wasn't surprised to find his fellow servant, Gin, waiting outside his doorway for him. The fox-like man always seemed to be around, like a ghost stalking the halls of Las Noches.

"Ah, just who I wanted to see," the white haired man cooed to Aizen as he came into view. A small snicker came from Aizen. His ever observant minion never seemed to disappoint him with his findings.

"Ah, good morning Gin," Aizen replied to him, turning to face the other man.

"My my, someone is in a good mood this mornin'," Gin replied, facing him.

"How could one not be? Everything is going according plan," he replied smoothly. His voice carried an uncharacteristic kindness for a man who was responsible for the death of so many.

"I suppose so," the white haired man replied, his classic fox-like smile growing even wider, "but I can't help but see a tiny flaw in it."

"Oh? Do share, Gin," he inquired of the man, continuing to walk forward towards the throne room. Gin followed beside him. Aizen didn't seem fazed or angry at all. His attitude never seemed to change.

"I'm still havin' a hard time believin' you actually assigned Espada Numero Cuatro to kill your charge. You don't see the same problem I do with this?" he questioned Aizen. His superior only smiled at him, acknowledging his observation. He chuckled.

"I would expect such a thing from you, Gin, ever observant as you are," he replied to his servant, "however, rest assured that I have the situation well thought out."

"As always, my Lord, as always," Gin replied, "but do you really expect him to kill her?" The two men walked into a room off the throne room, filled with monitors. Each of them showed a different part of the castle. Little did anyone but these two know that the whole castle was rigged with security cameras. Never did one thing go on in this palace that Gin, or Aizen, didn't know about.

Sitting down in the control chair, Aizen switched the master control to the prisoner block, and all the other monitors in the room changed to camera views of each of the cameras in the block. On a monitor in the top right corner of the room, displayed the room their honored "guest" was staying in. A smile crept onto the brown haired man's face as he looked at it. Just as he had expected.

"As you can see, I know very well he has no intension of carrying out my orders," Aizen said as he motioned towards the monitor. It displayed the Espada in question in the room. He was kneeling next to the woman's bed with his head down, appearing to be sleeping soundly. If one didn't know any better, they would say the two had just finished experiencing each other quite deeply. An equally devilish smile made its way onto the white haired man's face.

"So I see, Lord Aizen."

* * *

Orihime started to move slightly as her sleep became lighter and lighter. Her wonderfully hopeful dream was ending, and dumping her in a place where none of that existed. She wished her sleep could have lasted longer, only to keep the warm feeling that currently enveloped her being stay forever. Unfortunately, she knew very well that nothing could last forever, and she would have to face the reality of the situation she was in sooner or later. With that in mind, she tried to gather her thoughts before she was ready to start the day.

Orihime stretched her legs out, further awakening her sleepy body. When she went to go stretch her arms as well, she noticed that her right arm was unable to move. Immediately looking over, she saw a man laying by the side of her bed. He was sleeping soundly on one of his arms, his other hand gripping her arm lightly. Her first response was shock; shock to see him here, and to see him sleeping this close to her as well. Her body froze at first, like the reaction to seeing something startling. _Ulquiorra? _

When the initial shock passed, her gentler nature took over, and she was able to feel the warmth of his hand. Rolling over on her side, she lightly moved her arm backwards in his grip until their hands were matched up. Lightly, she laced their fingers together. As pitiful as it made her feel, she did feel a sense of safety when she was with him. He was safe, and Orihime knew this, even though he tried to convince her otherwise on a nearly constant basis.

His features were so relaxed, and the usual frown that stained his handsome face was absent. His own fingers slowly wrapped around her own, sending a surge of warmth through her arm and up into her chest. A sweet smile graced her face. He wasn't pulling away.

She laid there for a while, taking in the feeling of his hand against hers. It was warm and comforting. She had always expected his skin to be cold as ice -to match his constant expression- but in fact it was quite the opposite. His hand was calloused, yes, but it was soft and protective.

His black hair fell as it normally did, strands of it falling in-between his eyes. His raven locks fell just above his shoulders, barely dusting the surface of them. His shoulders; so broad and sturdy-looking. The thought of how it would feel to hug him silently crept through her mind, but she pushed it back to the background. She knew very well thinking about such things would only set her up for disappointment.

Eventually he started to stir from his peaceful slumber. Orihime was suddenly feeling the need to let go of his hand; she knew he would not be happy about it. But something inside her told her to keep a firm grasp on it, and so she did. His eyes slowly opened to look directly into hers. They seemed to glow lightly in the dark room.

How she so loved his eyes.

They were like a lovely poison, one that you couldn't stop looking into, even with the threat of death always lurking in them.

Ulquiorra looked at her for a moment. He didn't seem to know how to react to the situation he was currently in. He was not much of a social being, much less a lady's man.

He stood up without a word, removing his hand from Orihime's as he did. His reaction surprised her; he didn't scold her as she had expected, nor did he verbally assault her for such actions.

She closed her eyes, a slightly sorrowful look now covering her face. He tried not to look, closing his own eyes as well. He knew what that look would do to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, hoping to resolve any hatred she had created within him from her contact. The last thing she wanted was to make him have ill feelings towards her.

He opened his eyes again, fixing them on her. She was upset, he could see it plain as day, but how to respond, he really didn't know. Her gaze was fixed down towards the floor, her voice small and unconfident.

"Do not apologize, you did nothing wrong," he finally replied, turning his shoulder towards her. He had to get his feelings under control. How badly he wanted to turn himself back around and get close again, hug her, and comfort her. Closing his eyes and rubbing his temple momentarily, he tried to remind himself how inappropriate it was for him to be here in the first place. He had standing orders to kill her, and for him to be in her room with no one else around was quite risky.

She remained silent for a moment, unable to think of what to say. He was different; she didn't know how but she knew he definitely was. The Ulquiorra she had last seen would have never gotten as close to her as he did just moments ago, nor would he have fallen asleep while laying on the bed next to her. Most certainly, he would not have let her get away with her touching him like she had. Her finely tuned senses also told her that he was in some sort of pain, a deep pain that he was trying to hard to conceal from her. What type, she couldn't tell.

"Are you okay Lor-,"

"Do not call me that, you are not my servant," he cut her off. She was taken aback by his sudden change in preference. Yes, he was definitely not acting normal.

"Sorry, Ulquiorra," she corrected herself, "it's just, you seem...different. Are you ok?" His eyes slowly opened as he turned back to face her. His hands found their way back deep into his pockets, if only to keep them from acting out against his will.

"Have you ever felt heartache before, Woman?" he said without hesitation, breaking the silence with his deep voice. He could see she was taken aback by his question. Never before had he expressed any interest in the human concept of a heart.

"Of course I have," she replied, sitting up in her bed and letting her legs fall over the side, "it's something everyone feels at one point or another."

"Tell me what it is," he requested, "show me what it is."

"It's not something I can show you, only you can experience for yourself," she explained to him. This answer, however, was not the one he was looking for. Knowing what she just told him didn't make the ache in his chest go away, or the gripping pain draw its claws back from him.

He walked up close to her, taking her chin gently in his fingers. He tilted it up just enough so he could look directly into her eyes. "Show me what I'm looking for, Onna."

For a second, Orihime didn't know whether to be afraid or feel flattered that he was so close. She looked into his eyes, his vibrant eyes. They held so many emotions that his face refused to show.

As hard as he tried to hide it, his eyes made it clear as day what he was feeling inside. She could read him like a book, and quite easily at that. Pain, guilt, confusion, jealousy, sadness; they all seemed to put a fog over the usual brightness of his eye color.

So confused…how she wanted to save him from the confusion that she could so clearly see ripping him apart from the inside out.

"It's when the heart and mind don't see eye to eye. The heart wants what the mind refuses to give it; when the heart wants what it can't have," she explained to him. He studied her face intently.

He let go of her chin, backing up to a safer distance. Cold air replaced the heated air that seemed to fly away with his own retreat. "I have no heart to ache, I am a monster," he said, his glaring eyes closing to hide the guilt he felt inside them.

"I'm not judging you, Ulquiorra," she told him, standing up from her bed, "I only want to help you."

"Why would you do such a thing? I have given you no reason to even tolerate my presence," he turned away, hoping that she would just stop and let him leave to sulk in his emotions. Unfortunately for him, she had a different thing in mind.

"Because you don't deserve to go through that, no matter what you've done in the past," Orihime tried to convince, moving closer to him. He wasn't moving, he just stood there, seemingly lost in his own mind.

Ulquiorra was quiet for a while, trying to think of something to say. He had nothing to say, his mind couldn't even understand the notion behind her apparent forgiveness towards him.

His thoughts were suddenly shaken up when he felt her lay her head against his back, up by his shoulder. He wanted to run, to get himself out of the room as quickly as possible, but his feet remained glued to the floor.

"You're not a monster Ulquiorra," she told him. Her arms slowly made their way around his mid-torso. They seemed to mimic the tightening feeling that was beginning to grip his chest the longer he stayed in the room.

He sighed, though unintentional, and his eyes closed gently. Yes, he enjoyed this feeling of being close, though the logical side of his mind constantly reminded him how dangerous it was, mainly for her. He was a ticking time bomb.

"You should fear me, Onna, for your own sake," he warned, his voice turning an octave lower than for what he intended. His hands rose up to meet hers, gently gripping them. His fingers laced with hers as if it were a normal thing for them. He could feel her smile against his shoulder, and at that very second, his chest loosened. Tension that was threatening to suffocate him was released.

"I know, but I can't," she replied softly to him.

He knew time was dwindling quickly. He couldn't stay here any longer, it was too dangerous.

His hands took a gentle hold on hers, and seemingly unwillingly lifted them from his body. "I must go," he said in a low tone as he dropped her hands back by her sides. She didn't want to move, but she knew all dreams had to come to an end eventually. You always have to wake up.

No words were exchanged, but each knew what the other was thinking. Neither wanted for this moment to end, this little piece of tranquility they had shared. He started to walk towards the door without a sound. He dared not look back, in fear that he would only cause more suffering for both of them.

Ulquiorra opened the door to the cell and started to walk through the doorway, when a familiar figure stopped him. The Fourth Espada was alerted to the Sixth Espada's presence by nearly running face first into the man. He seemed to be walking into the cell; curious.

"Well what a pleasant fucking surprise, just the person I wanted to see," Grimmjow animatedly blurted out in a loud voice. Ulquiorra tried not to even acknowledge him, but was finding it very difficult, given that he was staring straight at him.

"What could you possibly want from me, trash," Ulquiorra asked him with slight anger mixing with his tone.

"Oh funny you should ask," Grimmjow replied, a large smile crossing his face.

"I'm fucking bored, there isn't one god damn thing to do around here. So, I thought you and I could have a little 'friendly competition', just to pass the time," he explained.

"I don't have time for your worthless attempts to try to prove yourself to me, get out of my sight," Ulquiorra tried to get the man to leave the vicinity of Orihime's room. He knew having him around there could only create problems.

"Nah nah, nothing like that, just a little combat training,, with a twist," he explained.

"A bet?" Ulquiorra picked up on what he wanted. This was just like Grimmjow…

"Ya' finally caught on! About fucking time!" Grimmjow yelled loudly, a laugh following. Ulquiorra didn't really want to respond to him; his bets were always meaningless, and only served to try and humiliate his opponents. The last time Grimmjow had bet someone, it was Nnoitra, and the result had not been pretty to say the least.

"Well then, I'll take your silence as challenge: accepted. Am I right?" he tried to goad the black haired man into a fight. Ulquiorra said nothing, only stared at him with complete disgust that such worthless trash like him would even consider this.

"Hell yeah! Meet in the training room, this afternoon. And, bring the Princess…"

* * *

Oh Grimmjow, always up to no good D: Wonder what he has in mind that involves Orihime o_O kinky much? lol All will be revealed in the next chapter!

Cheers


	4. A Fight It Is, Then

Hey guys, and welcome to chapter 4 of this lil story i got here ^^ I fear i will never be happy with this chapter, i have re-written it at least three times and am still not completely satisfied with it. Oh well, i hope you enjoy it either way. In this one we'll find out what Grimmy wanted from Ulquiorra and Orihime. Rated for language (oh grimmjow, you swear like a sailor lol), small amounts of blood, and a (small) Ulquihime scene :D As always, insight = reading the lyrics :D SPRING BREAK 2011 AND ITS SNOWING HERE! YAY! T-T

* * *

_Well you think that you can take me on?_

_You must be crazy_

_There ain't a single thing you've done_

_That's gonna phase me_

_Oh but if you wanna have a go_

_I just wanna let you know_

_Get off of my back_

_And into my game_

_Get outta my way_

_And outta my brain_

_Get outta my face_

_Or give it your best shot_

_I think it's time you better face the fact_

_Get off of my back_

_Get Off of My Back - Bryan Adams_

* * *

It was mid afternoon in Las Noches, and Ulquiorra found himself walking down the halls of the large palace with Orihime trailing behind him. He had recently gone to get her from her cell to join him in the training room, due to Grimmjow's request. To him, this skirmish -that he was well aware was about to happen- was nothing more than a game to the Fourth Espada. He already knew the outcome of it; there was no competition, as much as his opponent liked to think. He just had a very hard time facing the fact.

"Why did Grimmjow ask you to bring me to this? I don't like watching fighting," Orihime asked her captor, who was walking in front of her.

"I do not know, but you should not worry yourself about what will happen. There will hardly be a fight," he replied to her, keeping his gaze forward. Ulquiorra was quite confident that if there was a fight, it would be no challenge to him at all. Both he and Grimmjow knew who was the better fighter, so it was a mystery to the Fourth why Grimmjow repeatedly wanted to fight him.

A mix of sheer stupidity and persistence was his best guess.

When they finally arrived to the training arena, Ulquiorra pushed the large doors open. They revealed a large open dome. There was a large, white circle that was painted on the ground to show where the fighting was to take place, leaving some sideline space for spectators. At the head of the circle lay 3 large, marble chairs. They were used primarily for Aizen, along with Gin and Tousen.

The room was not white like the rest of the palace; instead it was a sandy tan color. It gave the room a warmer feel, Orihime thought.

"Well about time you showed up. I thought for sure you had flaked out on me, yah bastard," Grimmjow said, walking over to their location. They had entered the room, and were leaning against the chairs outside the circle with a smug look plastered on his face.

"To think you would suspect me of such dishonor makes me sick. I would have thought you would know me better, having been serving under me for so long," he taunted, his voice echoing through the large room. Yes, Ulquiorra was edgy to say the least. Already he was throwing nails at his opponent, only trying to make him angrier. His muscles itched for some action, something to release pent-up emotions from the past days.

"Careful now, 'them's fightin' words'," the Sixth shot back at him with a booming loud laugh. A minute smirk crawled onto Ulquiorra's lips. This was going to be quite a show.

"Now about your bet?" Ulquiorra started, eager to get this going. He did a very good job at concealing it though, keeping his outer appearance in the same emotionless state as he always did.

"I'm glad you asked. I was thinking maybe the winner," the blue haired man's gaze moved to the woman, who was standing behind Ulquiorra," could get a little some-some from the Princess here."

Already the attitude in the room changed for Orihime from mild to very uncomfortable and even dangerous with only a few words. She could only hope that Ulquiorra would be thoughtful enough to put an end to anything the rather perverted man had in mind. Why was she being dragged into this anyway?

"You had me bring her here so you could use her as a prize to fulfill your sick fantasies? How mortifying…" Ulquiorra remarked to him, clearly expressing his displeasure with the other man's request.

"I thought it was a good idea myself," Grimmjow retorted, that same smile snaking across his face.

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed at the Sixth's words. It didn't matter what his bet would have been, it was still imperative for him to win. There was no way the Fourth would let this man lay a hand on his woman.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Ulquiorra asked, eyes still narrowed. Ulquiorra was aware of what the other man was turning this into. It was no longer just a simple training match.

It was a devilish idea that was now controlling his mind, to be the one to win her affection. If he had to win her desires through this skirmish turn mating ritual, then he would do it, and he would win.

He could feel Orihime's nerves suddenly rise as she moved a touch closer to him. She hoped that he would not agree to any of this.

"Oh nothing really, just maybe a kiss," an wicked smirk covered the man's face. Orihime didn't know what to think about this. The thought of being forced to kiss someone she had no desire to do so was traumatic to her.

"All you want is a kiss? Quite impressive, Sexta," Ulquiorra once again taunted him, "I was expecting something much more…involved from you."

Orihime's cheeks blushed slightly at his words, and was almost tempted to say something back to him in her own defense, that brave side of her bubbling under the surface. She couldn't imagine being the prize for some boxing match between these two men. How sick…not to mention degrading.

But then, another thought entered her mind. If Ulquiorra won, would he kiss her? It was definitely not something she would object to. To feel his warmth again was something she looked forward to. He was much more enjoyable than she had first given him credit for, he was actually starting to show a softer side of himself to her. She liked that, it made her smile.

Of course there was risk to this plan of hers. What if Grimmjow won? Would she then have to kiss him? The thought almost made her want to blanch. Never, even in her dreams, had she ever seen herself even getting close to the barbarian of a man. However, she was certain that Ulquiorra would not let such a thing happen.

"Oh come on, I'm not THAT bad, you sick motherfucker," he replied with the same smile crossing his face. His statement dripped with obvious sarcasm.

Ulquiorra thought for a moment. No, there was no way he was going to let Grimmjow, or any other man for that matter, have his hands on his woman. He was far too protective, and dare he say jealous, for that to ever be a possibility. However, he knew for a fact he would win this. Like all other matches like this before, it would be no contest at all for him, merely a game. Being the winner, he then would be able to claim his prize in such a way he desired. This would be interesting…

"Fine," Ulquiorra stated. He heard a small whine from behind him, though chose to ignore it for the time being. Grimmjow, on the other hand, gave a loud laugh.

"That was easier than I thought!" he exclaimed. He walked up towards Orihime, past Ulquiorra. He got close to her, saying, "I thought I was going to have to blow him to get this," with a growly deep voice. It wasn't as deep as Ulquiorra's, she noticed, and much less smooth and sensual. Orihime already knew there was no way she was going to ever kiss him, even if he DID win.

Ulquiorra put himself between the man and Orihime, seeing she was very uncomfortable with the proximity between them.

So was he…

"I will make you blow me if you do not remove yourself from her," the Fourth warned him, putting an arm's length between himself and the other man with Orihime behind him with a worried expression on her face. Both knew that if the Sixth didn't respond to his threat, the Fourth would do far worse than that.

"Tch, figures you'd be a cock-block," the blue haired man mumbled under his breath, turning away and walking towards the ring.

Ulquiorra eyed him with a confident look in his eyes, "I'm simply being the fair opponent. Now what are the rules to this massacre?"

Grimmjow didn't seem to catch the meaning behind Ulquiorra's choice of words. He stopped, turning halfway back to respond to the other man.

"Hand to hand combat, no weapons, no releases, and no ball shots," Orihime watched as both men cringed slightly at the word. She couldn't help but giggle quietly; they weren't so different from her friends back home, in a way.

"As you wish," Ulquiorra replied, "and winning conditions?"

"Down and doesn't get back up," Grimmjow simply said. His voice carried over-confidence, which Ulquiorra planned to use against him.

"Fine," the black haired man said. He would give into Grimmjow's requests, for he knew that this would end in his favor.

"Then quit standing around and get in here yah fun-sucking bastard!" Grimmjow exclaimed at the top of his lungs, turning around and walking into the ring. He unzipped his jacket and threw it without a care to the sidelines to be forgotten. He then took his sword out of its sash and threw it as well to sit on his forgotten jacket.

Ulquiorra paid no mind to the barbarian, only giving a short, quick sigh. "Come," he said quietly to Orihime as he began walking closer to the chairs on the sidelines.

"Sit down," he ordered her, leading her towards one of the outside chairs. She sat down, shaking slightly. Orihime made herself as comfortable in the arm chair as she could. It was quite large and rather uncomfortable, and slightly elevated off the ground. Her feet, however, still could rest on the ground comfortably.

She felt somewhat out of place sitting in the chair she knew was meant for one of the higher-ups in Hueco Mundo. She hoped there wouldn't be any trouble because of it. To be seen sitting in such a chair would undoubtedly cause an uproar if one of the chairs' owners showed up.

She looked up to her captor to see what he would do next.

He began to unzip his jacket, and her eyes widened considerably. A deeper blush than the one before flooded onto her face at the sight of him. When the jacket was unzipped fully, he let it fall from his wide shoulders into his hand. He hung it on the edge of the chair's backrest with more care than his counterpart had with his own. Ulquiorra stopped while doing this, catching a glimpse of the woman's expression that was plastered onto her face.

"I would not have thought this would have bothered you, Onna," he simply replied to her stare. It didn't bother him, in fact it only boosted his confidence at the moment. She turned her head from him, if only to reduce the embarrassment of seeing him without a shirt on.

As much as she hated to admit it, it was hard to look away from him.

Ulquiorra was in perfect shape. His muscles were taught and nicely chiseled along his chest and arms. The greatest artists of the world had yet to create anything as beautiful as him.

He was not bulky, no but he was definitely big enough that one could plainly see his definition. His abdominal muscles rippled with his breath, reaching all the way down his torso and under the edge of his black sash around his waist. The black, gothic '4' tattoo contrasted strongly against his white skin. A much as she was embarrassed to admit it, she did very much like his tattoo; the meaning of it, not so much, but the tattoo itself didn't look bad, not one bit.

Her eyes focused on his hole; the whole that made him what he was. This terrible void within him that he seemingly had no control of. It hurt her to look at it, only because she knew that without it, he wouldn't be the way he was. Maybe he wouldn't hurt so much, or be so conflicted within himself. If only he were human...everything would be different.

Ulquiorra took Murcíelago from its position on his hip and placed it on the ground beside the chair gently. He actually took care of his sword, unlike his counterpart who had haphazardly thrown it across the floor. The sword was, in essence, a part of him after all.

Ulquiorra stood behind the chair to its side, watching the over-confident man in the ring. He was stretching his arms and legs, making a show of it and making sure that she saw every second of it. It was all show, and he knew it. It was all to show off to the woman in front of him, as if he were performing a courtship dance to impress a mate. The Fourth scoffed at the idea.

Yet Ulquiorra was no fool, he knew that the Sixth wanted her attention just as badly as he did. Both wanted impress her and have her choose them over the other, to be in control of her, to have her for himself and be the only one to touch her and hear her sounds.

However, Ulquiorra prided himself in knowing that he was going about this the wrong way. He knew, after spending as much time as he had with her, how to make her mind race, and her blood surge through her veins in excitement. He had yet to try any of these theories out, but he was quite certain of their effectiveness just by observing her. She was not impressed with the show of brute strength this other man was putting on for her, no, he knew that she wanted to see the softer, more sensual side of a man.

Oh, what that buffoon was missing…

Ulquiorra bent down at the waist to mumble softly, "I'll handle this," into Orihime's ear from his position behind her. His hot breath flowed against her ear like a calm wave of water. His masculine scent was carried to her face where she could smell him clearly. The thoughts themselves almost made her gasp, but luckily for her she was able to hold it in.

Sensing her internal excitement only caused the same reaction within him. His abdomen suddenly tingled with excitement, and within seconds it moved farther south. It took all the self control he had within him to not take this any farther, even though he wanted to with a burning passion. Instead, he straightened himself up to a standing position and began to walk forward without a glance back.

As he made his way into the ring, Orihime was then able to get a good eyeful of the rest of him. His back was ridged with muscles that seemed to move in sync with each other, giving them a rippling effect. He was strong, very strong. After only a few seconds, she had to look away in fear that her face would become three more shades deeper of red.

Oh yes, he was ripped.

Orihime watched as the two began to circle each other slowly, sizing each other up. Ulquiorra seemed unfazed, almost uninterested in the fight. His face remained the same stoic expression through it all. On the other hand, Grimmjow jumped around back and forth in an attempt to try and intimidate his opponent. He seemed eager to fight, his face lighting up with overactive pride surging through him.

"Come on yah fuck, fight! You seemed so confident earlier, so get into it," Grimmjow remarked, rushing in immediately after finishing his taunts, only to have his arm blocked by his opponent's.

"Rushing was never my style, you should know this by now," the calm man replied. Grimmjow only growled at him, and continued to throw punches at Ulquiorra. With calculated movements, he was able to successfully negate each of the attempts at him. The Fourth's opponent showed very little combative intelligence; he thought very little about his moves before he made them, acting only on brute force to complete his goal. Such a simple tactic…

Grimmjow had already made a fatal mistake, and if they had had weapons, he would have already been dead. The Sexta Espada had left Ulquiorra an opening, which he quickly took, landing a blow to the jaw.

Ulquiorra said nothing, only backed up again into a defensive position as Grimmjow growled at him. "That's more like it!" he exclaimed, apparently excited by the fact Ulquiorra was going to give him a good fight.

He kept attacking Ulquiorra viciously with attempted hits to his face and torso, none of which landed. Ulquiorra had every move the other Espada would make mapped out in his head before he even made it, giving him plenty of time to react and block it.

Orihime watched as the two fought. Grimmjow was trying very hard to land a blow on his opponent, but every move he made, Ulquiorra seemed to know how to react.

She watched as the larger of the two went in for a punch to the upper shoulder, but the Fourth Espada blocked the attack by palming his fist and twisting the man's arm until a cracking sound of bone could be heard. He looked dead into the blue haired man's eyes with an angry look covering his usual blank face. She tried to cover her ears to shield herself from the pained groan that came from his victim.

Grimmjow pulled his arm away, surveying it. Yes, the bones were broken, but he could still move his hand. A wicked smile was now covering his face. With one movement as quick as lightning, the Sixth whipped his fist into the Fourth's jaw, crashing his knuckles onto it. He stumbled back from the impact, planting his foot firmly into the ground to keep his body upright.

His teeth ground together, and blood started to drip from his lip. He was breathing heavily as he wiped the blood from his chin with the back of his hand. It hurt, hurt very much indeed, but there was no way he would give in because of a bit of pain. Ulquiorra moved his jaw from side to side, feeling that it was out of socket only, not broken. He took the jaw into his hand and pushed up forcefully on it, forcing the ball back into its socket with a click.

He couldn't stop the angry look that now controlled his face. His teeth were bared slightly, contrasting harshly with white against deep red.

"Did you enjoy that? Because that is the only one you will land for the rest of this," Ulquiorra said in a deep voice. His eyes were locked onto the other Espada, like predator and prey.

"Ha! You think so, Emospada?" Grimmjow taunted back at him. He jumped around back and forth, grinning like a wild animal.

"I was trying to bring myself down to your skill level for a fair fight, but now I'm not feeling so generous," Ulquiorra growled at him, walking closer with a gait that screamed anger. His chest was puffing out with every breath he took. Yes, he was very angry now.

As soon as he was within distance, Ulquiorra went on the offensive, striking quick jabs with his hand at his opponent. He was very agile and fast, striking faster than Grimmjow could block him. With both hands, Ulquiorra hit the sides of the other man's jaw back and forth, causing his head to twist with the blows. The man growled and grunted each time a fist connected with his jaw. His mouth was bleeding all over Ulquiorra's fists, staining them a deep red.

He was trying to wear Grimmjow down so he could end it with a couple large blows. His agility was unmatched, and only served to confuse his victim more.

His movements got heavier and more powerful, putting more force behind each blow. Grimmjow tried to fight back, but it was useless at this point. All of his movements were being used for blocking the vicious onslaughts. He became unsteady on his feet, bending over to try and protect himself from the black haired man.

But he never stopped.

"When will you ever learn," Ulquiorra said deeply, as he continued to push the man farther and farther into submission. Now, he was just out for blood. The game was over even before the punches stopped.

After hard punches to the head, face, and chest, with on final burst of energy, Ulquiorra leaped into the air, performing a roundhouse kick to the man's chest. He went down hard to the ground. He laid there, breathing heavily, and staying still.

"If you were smart, you'd stay down, Sexta," Ulquiorra threatened. He stood and looked at the man. He was bleeding from the mouth onto the ground, cussing every breath he took with anger.

"I won't give in to you," Grimmjow growled with every last bit of fight he had left. He was badly beaten, many bones broken as well as skin that was bleeding. He was trying to push himself up with his arms, struggled grunts escaping him as he did.

"I told you to stay down," Ulquiorra said deeper, looking down at the pathetic attempt to keep the fight going. It was clearly over. Ulquiorra lifted his foot and pressed it down into the man's back, pushing him back down to the ground as he applied more weight.

When the man's body was back laying on the ground, he lifted it off him, only continuing to stare him down. Grimmjow breathed heavily, but made no attempt to get up again.

"That's it then, you're finished," he announced before turning and walking away. His pride was boosted, no matter how small the victory was.

In one final act of dominance, Ulquiorra grabbed the Sixth's jacket he had so carelessly thrown on the ground, and picked it up. He wiped the blood from his hands onto the white jacket until they were clean.

"You cock-bag Ulquiorra!" Grimmjow yelled at him, trying to get up by pushing himself up with his arms again.

"Mind your language, before I have to teach you another lesson," the Fourth replied calmly back at him. He dropped Grimmjow's jacket back to the ground with the same careless attitude towards it as its owner had. Turning to walk back towards the chair which Orihime was sitting in, he began to approach her.

As he got closer, she shied away into the back of the chair, a light tint covering her face. She had hoped that Ulquiorra would win, only because he was much more gentlemen-like than the other. She trusted him more, and knew him better. He was a comforting safety blanket that always seemed to be around when she needed him.

He stood in front of her, just studying her appearance. She was definitely the most beautiful being he had laid eyes on. The way her hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, her silvery eyes, and her luscious figure. It was no contest in any aspect.

He wanted to kiss her so badly, and was very aware of the tingling on his lips with anticipation. He could only wonder if she was feeling the same. But, he also knew that she was not ready for him to act in such a manner. She was far too innocent, and he would not be the one to take that away from her without her approval. He just didn't have the nerve to do it.

"I will not do anything you do not feel comfortable with," he finally said, watching as she visibly relaxed from her stiffened position.

"I wouldn't mind a small one," she said back to him, with a soft smile on her face. He swallowed, pulling his hands behind his back, holding his wrist with one of his hands.

Orihime couldn't believe what was happening. Here was Ulquiorra, warm and without a shirt, in front of her waiting for permission to kiss her! What was happening? It was either an incredible stroke of luck, or something else.

She pushed it to the back of her mind, watching as he moved close to her. He stood in front of her and bent at the waist slightly to lower his head to her level.

He was so close. To her, he was this dangerous yet handsome creature that commanded respect. He fascinated her to a point of asphyxiation. He could kill her in an instant, and she was well aware of that. But to have him this close, it was nerve-racking.

Her eye lids became heavy as his face was right up next to the side of hers. His cheek rubbed up against hers. The contact created so much heat, it almost burned her skin. Little electric pulses surged through his skin to hers, flowing down all through her body. His skin was much smoother than she would have thought it would be. It seemed nothing about him was what she had expected.

His eyes closed when his cheek contacted hers. Such a wonderful feeling, so warming and…exciting.

Everything else in the room was completely gone, and only she and him existed. Her mind was completely clouded with this new feeling, this warm and enveloping feeling. It was new to her for the most part, only having felt it briefly when she had said good-bye to Ichigo.

Though she had felt it before, she had never experienced it in this magnitude. Did she really think of her captor in such a manner? After all that had happened between then, had he found his way into her heart?

Well…she wouldn't worry about that right now.

He dragged his face up until his dual-colored lips were level with her right temple. He pressed them slowly against her skin. His lips tingled violently at the contact. A sigh escaped her throat as she gently let her head lean against his lips.

He was so warm, much more than she had expected. His breath against her skin only added to the gasping feeling that was threatening to take her breath right from her lungs.

The thought of fear ran through her brain like a flying banner. She knew she should be afraid of this man. He had threatened to hurt her and kill her friends multiple times, but somehow, she couldn't be afraid of him. She knew deep down that he was only confused, she had seen it in his eyes. She wanted to be the one to save him from this confusion.

This light kiss to her temple seemed to last for a lifetime, and she wished it would have. After feeling his lips against her skin, all she wanted was more.

When he finally pulled back, her mind caught an unhappy sigh that wanted to leave her throat. His scent seemed to linger around her, letting her off easy from this high that she had had.

Opening her eyes, she didn't see him in front of her. Turning her head over her should, Orihime saw him proceeding to lift his jacket from the side of the chair. He stuffed his arm through the hole and lifted the rest up onto his shoulders until the jacket was in place. She looked away from him, directing her gaze towards the ground in front of her as she heard the sound of the zipper on his jacket.

Ulquiorra sighed. He didn't know what she was thinking, and it bothered him. He didn't know if he had upset her in any way, or if she was unhappy about something else. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't read her, not like she could him.

"Shall I escort you back to your quarters, Onna?" he asked, standing beside her still. Orihime looked back up at him, meeting his gaze. He didn't seem angry about anything. His face was plastered with the same stoic look that he always carried. It was a bit disheartening to her.

"Yes, please."

* * *

And thats the end of chapter four! Hope you enjoyed it, like i said i had a lot of issues writing this chapter. No matter what i did it just didnt seem right. But, eh, whatever. Chapter 5 is still somewhat of a mystery to me. I can see this story going many ways and still getting to the same end result that i want. Suggestions are more than welcome, as well as appreciated. Ah well, i got time, ill figure it out :D

Cheers


	5. Anthem Of The Angels

Hey and welcome back guys :D First off i would like to apologize for the longer-than-usual wait for this chapter. Crew and school have been taking up my life, and unfortunately, waits like this will probably be a common thing until summer break :/ But hey, its here, isnt it? :D And good news! Being the geek i am, i have hooked up a new surround sound system to my computer, and the neighbors dont like it! :DDD YAY LOUD MUSIC! But anyway, im getting way off topic. I've been wanting to do this song for one of these chapters, it is such an emotional song, if you really listen to and understand the lyrics, its very powerful, definitely. Just beautiful in my eyes. Which also leads me to this: want more insight to the chapter? Read the lyrics! :D And better yet, listen to it while you read! :DD Enjoy guys!

* * *

_Days go on forever_

_But I have not left your side_

_We can chase the dark together_

_If you go, then so will I_

_There is nothing left of you_

_I can see it in your eyes_

_Sing the Anthem of the Angels_

_And say the last goodbye_

_I keep holding onto you_

_But I can't bring you back to life_

_Sing the Anthem of the Angels_

_And say the last goodbye_

_You're dead alive…_

_Sing the Anthem of the Angels_

_And say the last goodbye_

_Sing the Anthem of the Angels…_

_Anthem of the Angels - Breaking Benjamin_

* * *

The fog in front of his vision cleared slowly, and Ulquiorra found himself standing in the throne room, unable to recall how he had ended up there. The room was very well lit, but seemed colder than it normally did, colder and more lonely. The lone moon shone a bright light through the many windows that lined the throne room, leaving light spots on the floor all along its walls.

He saw only one thing, no, one person very clearly; Orihime stood in front of him, held by two nameless arrancar. Ulquiorra found t impossible to focus on their faces. Instead of seeing a masked face like one would expect, he saw only distortion. He tilted his head to the side in confusion as to why he couldn't properly observe them. Blinking a couple times, he rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands, hoping it would refocus them. But to his astonishment, he was still unable to see them clearly.

How curious.

They held Orihime by her arms tightly. His eyes narrowed at the way they laughed at her struggles to escape. She screamed and yelled, trying to jerk her body free from their grasp. Her hair fell in her face, trashing with her each time she attempted to free herself. Ulquiorra could feel anger flood his veins, like a thick, overpowering substance. It made his muscles tighten and twitch, even without his command.

He was about to make a move on them to force her release, when he heard a very familiar laugh from behind him. Ulquiorra turned around, immediately seeing the man he wanted to see the least at a time like this. His master continued to laugh manically at him as he walked closer to Ulquiorra.

How unlike him to not notice such an overpowering presence right away, the black-haired man thought.

Now that he thought about it, the only thing he was really aware of was the struggling Onna in front of his face. To be so unaware of his surroundings was quite unlike him.

"I'm so glad you finally decided to carry out my orders, my loyal servant," he taunted Ulquiorra with his deceivingly velvet voice.

"He won't do it!" Orihime screamed in a raspy voice back at the man, even if the comment wasn't directed at her. The Fourth turned back halfway to gaze at Orihime, a startled look on his face. His breathing was beginning to elevate. _What is happening?_ He couldn't understand. When had he decided to come here? To bring her to death? He could not remember ever doing such a thing, and this bothered him.

Aizen looked at her, a smug look crawling onto his face at her defiance. His posture changed from his normal, calm outward appearance, to a more dangerous, confrontational one. "He will do as I command," Aizen replied back with confidence gleaming in his brown eyes.

He walked up to Orihime with slow, steady strides. His brown eyes remained locked on hers, challenging her to her beliefs. Even as he passed by Ulquiorra, his gaze didn't waver. Taking her chin into his hand roughly, he continued to bury his eyes into hers. His skin was calloused and cold pushing against her light skin. She struggled against his grip, trying to turn her head away from his eyes.

Strong feelings of jealousy gripped Ulquiorra. He wanted Aizen to take his filthy hands off her, but what could he really do to help the situation? His mind knew not to attack the man, as this would only infuriate him more. Plus, it would blow all the cover he had worked so hard to keep hidden from the man's eyes. He was forced to only watch, watch with dying loyalty in his eyes.

"You really think he cares about you? He has no feelings at all! How could he ever love you?" Aizen said to her with venom in his voice. The words were like daggers being driven painfully into the Fourth Espada's chest.

He was slightly taken aback by the harshness of the words against him. Had that really been how he was? He gave off an aura so cold, that no one thought him capable of any emotions at all? He thought it was impossible for anyone to not feel this way about the woman in front of him.

Ulquiorra wanted to speak out against the assumptions but his mouth wouldn't open for him. All he was able to do was watch with urgency and jealousy in his piercing green eyes.

Suddenly, Aizen, brought his hand up, and then brought it down hard against her cheek in a loud slap to the Onna's face. She gasped at the blow, turning her head in an attempt to shield herself from any further blows.

Ulquiorra's mouth dropped slightly in shock that his master had actually hit her. It was so unlike him. His chest tightened painfully; he wanted so badly to protect her from the man, but his feet refused to move. They remained stuck to the floor. _Go to her, help her! _He screamed at his mind, but it remained focused on its own tasks.

"You are nothing in his eyes, nothing but an object, isn't that right, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked him, looking around over his shoulder. The younger man said nothing, only mentally did he disagree with the man. Ulquiorra saw what he was trying to do. The man was trying to turn the two against each other, to pit them against each other for his own purposes. The thought alone made Ulquiorra want to strangle him to death.

The brown-haired man gave a heartless chuckle. "If you don't believe me, that's fine, you will die either way," his master said to the trapped woman. He got up and walked back to where Ulquiorra was standing, leaving the woman behind him.

The black-haired man's hands balled into tight fists deep in his pockets. He was fighting with his mind over what his body should do. Such conflict was proving very difficult against his own mind, with all the barriers he had forged over the years. He was beginning to spite himself for such a strong resolve.

Locked in a mental stalemate, Ulquiorra just continued to stare straight ahead at Orihime, who was struggling with the occasional whimper or scream. It hurt his chest with the strength of the angry master himself.

His lord walked up behind him, baring over his shoulder like a parent. He placed his mouth next to the Espada's ear, saying, "you belong to me, and you will do as I say one way or another."

The Espada couldn't respond, his voice was lodged firmly in his throat. The man behind him gave a smooth chuckle with his deep tone. "Yes…you will," he added. His hands moved back to grasp the sword at the younger man's waist, pulling it out of the sheath. Ulquiorra's breath caught in his throat the moment the blade's tip left his contact.

"So here's what I want you to do," Aizen again whispered into his ear, "I want you to end this, right now."

The man opened Ulquiorra's right hand, placing the sword's hilt in his palm. The weight of the sword rested in his palm, but he dared not move. The object itself seemed to burn with the contact, but still, he never moved.

Aizen finished by closing Ulquiorra's fingers around the hilt in a tight grasp. No matter how hard his brain fought it, he couldn't release his grasp on the blade. He didn't respond to Aizen, he only continued to stare straight ahead, as if in a trace-like state.

When he felt the overbearing presence back away from his being, his feet began to move him forward. His eyes widened, seemingly all control of his body gone.

His brain continued fighting itself, locked in a battle of sides. His logical side, the one that had dominated his every action for the past thousand years, was suddenly being challenged for power against a new side, which was growing swiftly. Already, it had gone from a simple curiosity to a gripping fascination for everything about a particular being.

He stood in front of her, sword in hand. His eyes were wider than normal, displaying a confused, almost surprised look on his face. He studied her; she was kneeling on the ground, facing towards the floor. Her long, fiery red hair fell towards the floor as well, some of its magnificent shine lost. His mouth was dry, his tongue felt like sandpaper.

"Are you afraid of me, woman?" he asked suddenly. She lifted her head, eyes meeting his in a tight lock. She read his eyes deeply, he could feel her digging deep into his mind.

"…I'm not afraid of death," she replied, her voice stern. He swallowed, catching the second meaning behind her words. She thought of him as…death. Something so hopeless and cold as him would only deserve to be called such. But hadn't he changed, at least a little bit? He couldn't help feeling hurt inside at her words. He had thought he had, but apparently not in the eyes that mattered to him.

He couldn't help but to gaze at her in wonder. Even in the last moments of life, she wasn't afraid. Such courage; it wasn't something he could take away from her.

…Even if there was nothing left of her.

He could see it in her eyes, she knew this was the end. The once wonderful shine of her silver eyes were now nothing more than a dull gray. The once proud girl was now filled with the very feelings that she had tried to save him from the whole time.

"I don't know why I keep holding onto you," he whispered so softly, she was the only one able to hear him. "I have no power to save you, no life-giving ability that can bring you back to life."

"I just…thought I knew you better than this," she said back, a touch of venom on her tongue.

Ulquiorra's brain was so confused; he didn't know how to act. She thought she knew him better than this? What was that supposed to tell him? She thought of him as someone she could trust, or even feel comfortable around? He knew she was foolish, but to trust the enemy was practically suicide.

"You are foolish, woman," he whispered so quietly, she didn't even hear him. He was glad she didn't though, it left a bad taste in his mouth. Had she heard it, he would have only spited himself that much more.

His eyes suddenly began to sting as he saw a single tear fall down Orihime's cheek. Ulquiorra could not stand to look at such a sight, it was too painful for him to see. The one person in any world that he cared about was crying about something he was about to do. Such foolishness had to be stopped.

She saw him through watery eyes, lift up his arm, still holding into the sword. This was it; he was going to kill her. The entire world had turned against her, and was going to laugh at the cruel irony as the one she was trying to save, would take her life without a second thought. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. She had tried as hard as she could to give him a second chance, one that she believed he deserved. And now, here she was, at the receiving end of his blade, to be slashed down by his hand.

She closed her eyes softly, refusing to show fear even in death. Her body went still, and she made no more struggles to get away. Her fate was sealed, and there was no escape for her. If she were to get away, what would she do? Run around the castle? No, he would find her eventually, it was no use.

After a few seconds, she continued to wait for blackness to takeover her mind, and for her soul to be released from her body.

Still, nothing happened.

She heard a loud pang of steel against the floor. The noise startled her, and her eyes flew open, to be met by the sword, laying on the floor by his side.

He had dropped it.

"I won't," he said softly, "leave your side." Ulquiorra seemed to struggle to get the rest of the sentence out, but she could see the tension in his body release when he finally did. He dropped to his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms firmly around her shaking body. All he wanted to do was shield her, protect her from all that this world was. The two arrancars holding her were forced to back away from the protective Espada. They seemed to know better than to get in his way.

When her arms were freed, they immediately swung around his back, grasping at his shoulders. His hand held the back of her head, keeping her face against his. Her warm tears were wet against his skin sending that same warmth down his neck and spine. It enveloped him fully. It put his mind to sleep, which allowed his body to freely control his movements.

"If you go, then so will I," he said softly into her ear. She let out a strangled cry, one that she had been keeping in the whole time. Ulquiorra only pulled her body closer, so it was flush with his own. She was so precious to him, to be so close to her was all that he ever needed. He wanted to stay like this forever, if only. His eyes were closed, reveling in the pure joy and relief he felt. The Espada released a breath he didn't even know he was holding. A calm he had never felt before took him over.

But unfortunately, everyone has to wake up.

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime screamed loudly. From behind him, Aizen had picked up the forgotten sword and was poised to strike. As much as he wanted to protect her from all that this world was, he knew deep in his rational mind that there was nothing he could do. There was nowhere to run and no counter measure he could take to get them out of the situation. His eyes only snapped shut tighter than before, waiting for what he knew would come. The Espada's hands grasped tighter than before at the fabric she wore, his knuckles starting to burn from the pressure.

"Then you will go with her," the man growled at him. With one angry movement, he thrust the sword forth into the lovers, piercing them both all the way through the chest.

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke with a sharp groan, immediately sitting up in bed. He gasped harshly for air, his lungs burning for the substance. He felt like he had just returned to the surface after he was seconds away from drowning. His mind was completely overwhelmed, and it began to bring on a terrible headache as a result. He couldn't see straight, and what little bit he could see was fuzzy and unfocused. The thought passed through that maybe he was still in a dream.

Ulquiorra shook his head at the thought. No, there was no way he was still in the dream, he was aware of things now. Even in this state of mind, he could tell fantasy from reality.

His fingers dug into the bare skin below his hollow hole, right where the sword had been plunged. He could still feel its presence, as if the sword were still there. His shoulder blades crunched together towards the center of his back, trying to react to this feeling. Sweat dripped from his neck and face, wetting his unclothed shoulders and arms as well. He felt lightheaded and cold, his skin becoming clammy as the sweat continued to drip down him.

He couldn't sit here, he had an intense urgency to move away from the place where he currently was. His powerful arms pushed him to his feet. He stumbled across the room for a bit before falling against a corner of a wall. He leaned against it with all his weight, his shaking legs threatening to give out at any moment.

With his neck muscles weakening, he allowed his head to fall back against the wall behind him, exposing his neck to the air. A chill ran down his spine at the cooled air that now lapped at his exposed flesh. His eyes were closed tightly, images of what he had just seen playing against his eyelids as if they were a movie. The would flash brightly before him, show a piece of the scene, and then fade to black, as if taunting him with their presence.

He stood up, although slowly due to shock, bracing himself against the wall. Ulquiorra paced back and forth on the length of the room. His mind was reeling, trying to think of something he could do, something to save her from this fate that his conscious mind was constantly reminding him of. His body was weakening due to lack of sleep, and it was definitely taking a toll on his ability to rationally think this process out. Roadblocks were constantly forcing his mind to restart a thought, or would simply leave all of them at a stand-still.

Would he be able to convince Aizen of her usefulness? The girl was very gifted with her abilities indeed, but to try and make the man see that was nearly impossible. He was rather stubborn Ulquiorra knew from past experience, he wasn't one to stray from orders that had already been issued.

Then another thought popped into his head. What if he could convince Aizen that he needed an heir to his throne? It was obvious to Ulquiorra that the man was indeed going to age, and eventually would move on in a soul's life cycle. But was self-preservation really that high on his mind? And did Ulquiorra really want to give the man an idea that would put Orihime in danger? No, that was not an option. With a frown that seemed to only deepen more, he quickly threw away the thought, trying to forget he ever came up with it.

He sighed, looking up at the ever-lasting moon. It was the same as it was in his dream. Turning his head to the door he could see that the lights were still on, as they always were. Though they were on, Ulquiorra's body felt heavy and sluggish, a clear sign to him that it was indeed the dead of night.

The Espada rubbed his temples with the pads of his fingers. This headache was not going to ease up anytime soon, and that was going to make it impossible for him to even attempt to sleep again. He had his breathing under control now, yet he still paced back and forth, unable to calm himself down. Sleep was definitely out of the question.

Ulquiorra stopped at a desk on the far wall across from his bed. He sat in the chair, turning on a small desk lamp. The light at first burned his eyes, which only added to the headache, but he tried to forget about it. He rested his head in his hands, staring down at the random papers that littered the top of the desk. He gazed over each of the papers, hoping that one would read something useful to his failing attempts at brainstorming a plot to remove the woman from Las Noches.

He sighed once more, knowing full well what he was getting himself into. What he was planning was no less than complete betrayal of his master. He knew full well what the punishment was for such a crime, but it was all worth it to him to make sure she was safe. His life was about to change, but for better or for worse had yet to be seen.

* * *

And another one done! For those that are like "wtf ur not even into the main plot yet and u said this story was going to be 10 chapters long wtf wtf WTF?" well, i lied ^^;. I wasnt expecting to add all the details and other funny happenings that i am now, so needless to say it will be more than 10 chapters long. Not exactly sure how many yet, but you can count on more, definitely. And now that i am neglecting my english and calculus homework, that is my signal to get outta here. I'll cya guys later with my next installment ^^

Cheers


	6. Like Nothing I've Ever Known

Hey guys! First off I would like to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. Crew and the last trimester of school was really a life-killer. But luckily that is all done now, and summer is here :D So hopefully this should be updated faster now. I'll admit I had a hard time with this chapter. I tried to write most of it during class, and once I got it written out on the computer, it just didn't seem right. After staring at it for a couple weeks, I was still missing the main inspiration for the chapter. Then, first week of summer I watched Spirit, and that's when it hit me. I quickly downloaded the soundtrack, put this song on repeat, and suddenly the chapter just seemed to flow out. Foreshadowing in this chapter as well as reoccuring themes for future chapters ;) Insight to the chapter as always, is in the song below. It's quite a beautiful song, I would recommend it even if you hate this story! Enjoy!

* * *

_Right now I feel, just like a leaf on a breeze_

_Who knows where it's blowin'?_

_Who knows where it's goin'?_

_I find myself somewhere I never thought I'd be_

_Goin' round in circles_

_Thinkin' about you and me_

_And how do I explain it when I don't know what to say?_

_What do I do now, so much has changed_

_Nothing I have ever known, has made me feel this way_

_Nothing I have ever seen, has made me want to stay_

_But here I am, ready for you._

_It's like nothing I've ever known _

**_Nothing I've Ever Known - Bryan Adams_**

* * *

Ulquiorra lifted his head from its sleeping position atop his desk. His eyes were heavy and stung when exposed to the dry Hueco Mundo air. His limbs felt dead and drowsy, lacking the usual ease of motion they usually had. His breathing was slow and deep, resembling his body's current feeling.

Days had passed since Ulquiorra had slept. His mind was slow and irritable as a result, and was unable to complete any train of thought that he started. The Fourth Espada had failed to accomplish any of the tasks he had set before himself, leaving him feeling utterly useless during this time.

He had completely neglected all of his other responsibilities as an Espada, and had failed to show up to any of the meetings Aizen had scheduled. Although he was sure the others would think it was strange behavior for him, no one said anything, nor confronted him about it. He had enlisted a servant to bring Orihime her meals throughout the days, as he had not left his room.

During those days and nights, he remained locked away in his room, tirelessly devising a plan of escape for the woman. Countless notes littered his desk with scattered ideas covering them. The only light was the small desk lamp he had on for himself, the rest of the room was swallowed by the eternal darkness of Hueco Mundo. There was no sound in the room, not even the sounds of footsteps outside the large double-doors.

Just days ago, Ulquiorra would have fully enjoyed the silence of the room, but recently, it was starting to eat him alive. A combination of lack of sleep and an over-worked brain was turning the silence into a very menacing thing. It seemed to distract him while trying to give his mind the very rest it craved so much.

He shook his head lightly, resting his head in his hands, braced against the desktop. _My time is running short,_ he thought to himself. Ulquiorra tried to focus his mind to the task at hand, but it seemed it was so burnt out from the days without sleep that such a thing was impossible. Indeed, time was going short, too short for comfort. He now only had two days left before his seven day deadline was up. Something had to be done, and soon.

He let out a sigh, pressing his head deeper into the palms of his hands. A suitable plan had not been fully developed yet, and this deadline was not making it any easier for him to think.

_Just kill her and get it over with,_ the last remaining rational part of his brain told him. It seemed to be the only remaining working slice of his brain, and it was definitely working against him. He dismissed the thought.

Ulquiorra had successfully "trained" his brain to stop bombarding him with such gruesome thoughts, but a little part still refused to give in. He shook his head again to free up his thoughts.

No, he had never felt this way about anyone before, and he knew better than to throw it away. He cared for her deeply, he knew he did. However, the wall he had constructed around himself still remained intact, and he refused to let the outside world know of his feelings.

Even with that, it had quickly become his first priority to keep her safe from harm.

Ulquiorra slowly stood up from the desk. He rolled his shoulders, relieving the stiffness from them, and straightened his jacket. Switching off the lonely lamp, he left his room, the tall, heavy doors closing behind him with a loud 'boom'. He started right down the hallway, through the prisoner block and towards the throne room.

Ulquiorra was highly intelligent, and he prided himself with it. He also knew that Aizen was-though at times a rash person, intelligent as well. Ulquiorra had deduced that there had to be more of a reason to effectively eliminate his charge greater than her powers no longer being useful. He didn't understand how this was possible, having the power to turn back time and reject all forms of the present as it was. Even with the Winter War approaching, would Aizen not want to have the power to resurrect fallen soldiers? It would provide an endless army, in a sense. _Unless he has something else in mind…_

Ulquiorra walked down the brightly lit hallways, his destination at the front of his mind. The Fourth rounded a corner, only to meet face to face with the tall, slinky Fifth Espada. He seemed to be in a rush, judging by the fact the two had nearly collided at the corner. His demeanor reeked of ill deeds, and the way the man seemed to slink around like a plotting animal did his appearance little good. Oh, how Ulquiorra detested this man.

"What are you doing here, Nnoitra?" Ulquiorra asked him in a serious tone. It lacked any emotions, as normal, but it seemed to have a bit of a sting on it, only revealing his true feelings. It was well known that the man's quarters were nowhere near the prisoner block, so it was not hard to guess why the man was here.

He stopped in his tracks, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "Oh nothing at all Ulquiorra," he replied in his normal, sneering tone. Ulquiorra wasn't buying his claims.

"Where were you going?" Ulquiorra prodded again, with a questioning glint in his eye. He wanted an answer out of him, and he was only going to take one response as valid.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Nnoitra scoffed at him, rolling his uncovered eye. He lowered his gaze back to the smaller Espada before him, his maniacal grin only growing.

"I would not have wasted my time asking if I had not wanted an answer," the shorter of the two shot back, closing his eyes in annoyance. His response was sharp, and it was obvious that he was not playing with the Fifth Espada. Sometimes he could not believe the man could even function by himself.

The taller man only chuckled at Ulquiorra's apparent dissatisfaction. "Still as dry as ever huh?" he remarked, "speaking of which, I meant to ask you how our little pet is doing?" With that, the intentions Ulquiorra had suspected the whole time were revealed. His eyes snapped open, quickly focusing and glaring deeply at the other male.

Ulquiorra didn't know if it was possible for the man's smile to grow any larger, yet at his last comment it was wider than before. Ulquiorra in turn, scowled deeply at the question. "Such vulgar," the man replied, "how dare you ask such a question to a superior?"

The taller man only laughed at him. "Oh come on Ulquiorra, don't be such a cock-block. I was only wondering if she has been good to you, that's all." The way the man seemed to lick his lips and chuckle lowly to himself only served to intensify his conclusion.

The second meaning behind his statement didn't get passed Ulquiorra, and as much as it disgusted him, a small part of his attention was caught. It caught him off-guard. "Such things are none of your concern, trash," the man managed to respond in a cold voice, staring him straight in the eyes. His eyes were an intense, almost toxic shade of green, seeming to grow brighter with his displeasure. If looks could kill, Nnoitra would be a dead man.

This conversation was not helping his mind-set. He had worked what little focus he had left into a pin-pointed conversation he planned to have with Aizen, and now what little focus he had left was being wasted on this man that barely had any focus past what was directly in front of him at all. The topic never failed to catch Ulquiorra in a state of surprise, surprise with himself and that someone would be so stupid to even bring it up with him.

Ulquiorra found himself in a conflict of sides, one where he felt that he was split in two. Of course he knew what Nnoitra was implying was untrue, he had never had any type of relationship with the prisoner. _Such behavior would be highly immoral…_

At least that's what he kept telling himself.

Yet this part of him that was suddenly interested, seemed to take the lesser Espada's side, even against his mind's own will. It seemed like his mind was suddenly awakened and fully attentive. Everything around him seemed brighter and fully focused in. His eyes were no longer drowsy and sounds seemed crystal clear. This was not a settling feeling in the man.

"Come on Ulquiorra, you've been around the block before-"

"I have not," he was quick to reply, his gaze only growing more lethal as he went on.

"Don't kid yourself, I know you have, and I'm sure there are _plenty_ of witnesses that could vouch for me," he sneered, a snide laugh escaping him. Ulquiorra's glare only became sharper. How could he have the nerve to talk to him as such?

"Tell me Ulquiorra," he started, pushing against the wall with his forearms, "do you enjoy knowing that you have complete authority over her? He started to slowly walk in circles around the shorter male. Still, Ulquiorra stood his ground, refusing to follow him even with his gaze. This whole situation resembled that of a crazed pedophile's sick fantasy, and he wanted no part in it.

"You can't possibly stand here and tell me that you haven't at least thought about taking her before," he finished, the same sneering smile ever-present on his face. "We all know why you haven't taken her yet anyway, mister 'I'm above feeling'," he added with a laugh. He was mocking the Fourth, and he knew what it would result in, but he chose to forget it for the time being, since opportunities like this rarely presented themselves.

Ulquiorra was furious. He was attempting to contain his anger, knowing that such an emotion was poisonous, especially for where he was headed, yet even he couldn't hold the bits that showed through his striking eyes.

"The only taking that will go one here will be the taking of your pathetic life. It would be wise for you to not discuss such things with anyone again." He was in no mood to continue this conversation, and began to start walking on his previous path, hoping that the other man would use at least part of his limited intelligence, and leave him alone.

"Tch," the other sneered at him, turning his back on him to walk away, "what a killjoy." Ulquiorra ignored the man's comments as he listened to the sound of his footsteps becoming quieter. He heard Nnoitra round a different corner which led away from the prisoner block, and dismissed the encounter completely.

Ulquiorra could simply not believe the level of indecency the man had gotten to. He used the term 'man' very lightly, the creature was hardly living. How badly he wanted to lash back at him for degrading him, to teach him that such behavior would not be tolerated; and here he was, simply taking it.

Why?

Why did he stand there and let the man talk down on him like that? Ulquiorra was questioning himself; he didn't really know why he had. Perhaps it was his recent laziness, or maybe it wasn't worth it? Ulquiorra scoffed at this notion, rolling his eyes; it was always worth it to reinforce one's position over another's. It was the painful reality of this world: the strong survive, only the strong.

_Only the strong…_

He sighed, continuing to walk through the hallways. Did he not defend himself, because he knew it was true? He, who was Aizen's prized _emotionless_ Espada had nothing to show for himself because he in truth, cared about her? He had never been one for lying, even to himself. Although now, his silence spoke louder than any words he could have said.

_It's like nothing I've ever known…_

Was it wrong to feel this way? Ulquiorra had always known his place in the world, always known what was expected of him, and always known what was to become of those that would become slaves to their emotions. He knew what that was, he had been there, and never wanted to go back. Back then, he had been nothing but ash in the breeze, a lost soul going around in circles trying to make it through another day.

Was it purpose he strived for? Was being a pawn simply a weak attempt to find purpose in an otherwise meaningless life?

Ulquiorra's chest tightened painfully at the memories of his past. He had tried very hard to forget all of that. He had wanted out of that life so badly, so badly that he went as far to take his own life. Did that make him weak? Was he weak to want death in utter blackness rather than to try and survive another day in the hellish world he lived in? _No,_ he though, _I only wanted to move on. _

His mind wandered once again as he absent-mindedly rounded a corner. Was it time to move on again? Was this his chance to finally be free? Free from this life he was becoming more and more sick of as each day went on.

Ulquiorra questioned the notion. _And lose everything I have become?_

But then a new thought came to mind. Was it worth keeping? Was he _proud_ of what he was? Was this weak purpose he _thought_ he had found, something he actually wanted? He scoffed at it once again. _It doesn't matter what I think, as long as my master is content with my actions, that is all there is._

All the arguments that his mind was throwing at him, they all came down to one thing: was he ready to let go? Could he let go of the hate, and the emptiness that had eaten away any capability for caring he may have once had? All of that had left him simply…hollow.

With that realization, he suddenly felt powerless. The realization that even with all that he had, he was still but a pawn on the chessboard, a gust of ash in the wind, expendable, a hollow being, nothing. No, he couldn't release that hate; it led him to sadness and fear, fear of what would happen to him, or to Orihime. Things were safer this way, for her.

No, it wasn't. It wasn't safer, nor would it ever be safe, for either of them. Whatever he thought, she was still stuck here, away from her friends and her normal life. She deserved to be back with them at any cost. She had shown him kindness when he had showed nothing but rude, uncaring malice towards her. Was she the key? The key to the release of his cage?

Ulquiorra shook his head slowly, closing his eyes. The pain in his chest only seemed to grow stronger with this feeling that continued to creep into his mind. _Guilt_. He couldn't use her like that, she was more powerful than even himself. Her capacity for good and forgiveness, it was more powerful than any spiritual energy he could ever hope to master. He had been cruel to her for no other reason than he was told to be. In his mind, it sounded sick. He had never known such kindness, and could only hope that now, he could repay her for showing him that he could be free.

_It was her, the whole time…_

A refreshing breath of air seemed to fill his lungs with the next breath he took. It filled his lungs, clearing his mind of any doubts he had had before. At first, Ulquiorra was startled by this feeling. He had never felt so…peaceful. The Espada could feel this infectious positive power seeping farther through his body with every breath he took. He pressed the palm of his hand against his jacket, closing his eyes. He felt…good, very good. Was this the release he had been afraid to let happen?

_It's like nothing I've ever known…_

His eyes opened to see the doors of the throne room. He saw his reflection in the mirror-like surface of the chrome-finished doors. His eyes seemed confused as to the image they were being fed. Just seconds ago, his body felt light and calm. But now after seeing his own image, that feeling began to seep through the pores of his skin. It was replaced by the same emptiness he was accustomed to.

His eyes focused on the bone-like helmet atop his head. Closing his eyes gently, he sighed a deep sigh. It was a rather depressed, sad sigh. After feeling so much peace within his being, he wanted it again, he wanted to feel like that.

It was a cruel joke that had been played on him. He was given a taste of what it was like to actually _feel_ what he had been striving for: true peace. As soon as it came, it was stolen from him by the harsh reality he lived in. _What are you thinking? You will never have that, look at you! You are a monster! She is pure and innocent, and you are the complete opposite, cruel and tainted. The two cannot mix._

He stood in front of the doors, opening his eyes, only to stare at the white, marble floor. He lifted his head to stare back at the doors. This time, he no longer saw his current state, but his second release state. The devilish figure stood with its large black wings, staring back into his green eyes. Somehow, the creature's eyes looked soft.

His normally stoic expression seemed…almost sad.

The Espada didn't have time to question it before a pang of sharp pain suddenly hit his chest once again. It gripped him as tightly as the guilt did, ripping at his chest like nails through flesh. Ulquiorra quickly blinked his eyes to try and get the vision to leave, hoping that with it gone, this feeling of guilt would leave with it.

Reopening them, he found his normal reflection once again. The same empty feeling once again created the void in his heart. The pain was gone, as if it had never really been there. He quickly scanned the space around him, to check if any other arrancar had seen him. No one.

Ulquiorra was thoroughly confused at this point. He suddenly was having a problem remembering if any of that was even real. Had it been? Or was his cruel mind just playing with him again? Focusing on the doors in front of him once again, he decided it didn't matter one way or the other. He had to focus on the task at hand.

The Espada pushed one of the doors open, entering when the space was large enough for him to fit through. He took a look around, noticing that the large throne room seemed empty, save for the throne itself. It was dark in the room, the only light coming from the open door behind him, and from Aizen's personal chamber off to the left side of the back of the room. Ulquiorra closed the door behind him, beginning to walk towards the beam of light coming from the chamber. The sound of his footsteps seemed to echo even louder than normal, filling the ever-lasting darkness.

"My Lord?" the black-haired male called out into the chamber, standing to the side of the doorway. He waited for a response. He saw Gin, Aizen's faithful servant, step out around the corner.

"Lord Aizen, it's Ulquiorra," the man called back into the room, his fox-like smile ever present.

"Tell him to come in," Aizen called back to Gin.

Gin moved aside, holding his arm out as a signal for him to enter. "I guess the stars are in the right configuration, Espada, he wishes to see you," he said with a chuckle. He failed to return the other man's happiness. Ulquiorra walked slowly, turning his gaze away from the silver-haired man and towards a large desk that resided in the center of the floor in the room.

The room was warmly lit, yellow light emulating from the many lamps that lined the square room. The room was lavishly decorated. Warm golds and deep reds lined the walls. Bookcases covered most of the wall space, filled with a countless number of books. Off the left side was another room, presumably Aizen's sleeping quarters. Ulquiorra had never been in there before, it was off limits to most. Aizen was standing at a desk, looking down at what appeared to be a book. As Ulquiorra approached, he buried his hands deep in his pockets.

"Ah, my dear Espada," Aizen, said as he raised his head to look directly at Ulquiorra. The black-haired man watched the other man's deep brown eyes carefully. Though he gave no sign of it, he was reading the master's eyes to find out what type of mood he was in. _It seems an alright time to talk about this with him._

Ulquiorra bowed deeply. He knew he was on thin ice at the moment, and he was going to run through every play he knew to make sure the ice didn't suddenly break. "My Lord," he replied.

Aizen only watched as the man stood straight up once again. "I have not seen you in quite some time now, you were not at the meetings," Aizen replied to him.

Ulquiorra had not planned for the man to bring that up. He had to think of something, quickly. "Forgive me master, I have no excuse," he tried to defuse the topic by offering such a reply, but Aizen wasn't having it.

"Where were you, Ulquiorra? What were you doing?" the man looked at him with a knowing glint in his eye. _Something is not right,_ Ulquiorra thought.

"I was in my quarters, my Lord," he said in the same tone as always. He tried to keep his mind from racing and to keep it from losing what little focus he had left.

"Doing what, Ulquiorra?" Aizen prodded again, leaving behind his desk and starting to slowly walk towards The Fourth.

"…Planning," the man simply replied. He kept his expression like a stone the whole time, not giving away one single bit of information from his being.

Aizen simply smirked, although it held a bit of something in it, something Ulquiorra couldn't place. "Well I guess your current mission would require some planning, wouldn't it?" Aizen looked him dead in the eyes, trying to configure the truth within them, but Ulquiorra gave nothing away.

"Yes my Lord," the Espada said back, in a lower tone. All the same tension he had felt while trying to come up with plans had once again returned. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his nails into the palms of his hands. He was thankful for his hierro, otherwise he was sure such force would have drawn blood.

"Well, it's good to know that you are working on it," Aizen turned and began to walk back to his desk, sitting down in the chair, "but I have a feeling that is not why you came to me today." He folded his hands , bracing his elbows on the surface of the desk.

"Correct, my Lord," Ulquiorra started, "I wish to speak with you privately, if my Lord shall permit it." The two males only stared at each other for a moment. Everything was silent, and the air became so thick and noxious that it could be felt with the palm.

After a couple seconds, Aizen's smile became warmer towards the man. He looked up, towards Gin who was standing at the door. "Gin, leave us please," the man said. Ulquiorra turned his body halfway towards the other man to see what he was doing. He watched as the silver-haired man's smile only grew wider.

"As ya wish, Captain Aizen," the man replied, turning to walk out of the chamber. He closed the door behind him with a soft click. Ulquiorra turned back to his master, completely facing him now. Aizen cleared his workspace of the book he had been reading, pushing it into a drawer.

"Now, tell me what you would like to discuss," the man started. He waited for Ulquiorra to speak patiently.

"I wished to hear your reasoning for my most recent mission, my Lord," Ulquiorra stated. He watched as Aizen's expression changed slightly, although he couldn't tell if it was for the better or not.

"I thought I told you when I assigned you this mission, I no longer have any use for her," Aizen replied, folding his hands once again. "She has served the purpose for me bringing her here, to keep her would simply bring down the momentum we have built up."

Ulquiorra let his words process. He knew where he wanted this conversation to go, how to get it there was the question he was currently trying to figure out. "Is there no use for a being who's power rivals that of a god's?"

Aizen was slightly taken aback by the Espada's forwardness. Such behavior was very unlike the normally stone-faced man. "My dear Espada, all I expect you to do is what I have told you. That is the beauty of it," he started, standing from his position at the desk and beginning to walk up to Ulquiorra.

"My Lord, it is not that I am unwilling to please you, I am only concerned with future use," Ulquiorra tried to cover his true intentions up with his words, only hoping that they would work. Aizen continued to walk around the room, looking around at the random books that covered the walls on shelves.

"I understand Ulquiorra, and I trust you have the best intentions. You have always been the most insightful of the Espada," Aizen said, stopping briefly to look at the other man. He chuckled slightly, "sometimes I even doubt my own ideas over yours."

"You are not blind Ulquiorra, in fact you see things that even impress me, which is why I am willing to listen to what you have to say," he continued with a smile.

"Would it not be wise to save her abilities to replenish your army for the upcoming war?" Ulquiorra offered to him.

"Ah, I understand where you are going with this, an endless army, no?" Aizen smiled once again, pulling a book off a shelf. He sifted through the pages, leaving Ulquiorra to mull through his own thoughts. "I assure you my loyal Espada, I have thought over this option before. Those that would be needing the help are meant to be expended, and are hardly worth the time or energy to replenish."

There was a silence as The Fourth thought of what to say next. This conversation was not going as he had (ever so slightly) planned. He knew Aizen would not be easy to sway, but he was not even giving an inch! Ulquiorra had hoped that he would at least be able to find a small hole that he could chip away at until the man caved, but he was sadly mistaken at this point.

Aizen looked over to him, open book in hand. "Ah, here we are. I have a quote I would like you to hear. 'The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.'," he read from the book.

"Adolf Hitler," Ulquiorra said deeply.

"Very good, it seems you have studied well," Aizen praised him. "Adolf Hitler was the world's greatest failure. He turned an entire country that was poverty-stricken and desperate, and gave its people drive. It became very powerful as a result. He had most of the eastern world kneeling at his feet, and he would have achieved his dream of a pure society. But, he made one crucial error. He turned his allies away from him, which led to the Soviet Union joining the fight against him. Suddenly he was caught in the center of a circle that wanted him dead." Ulquiorra looked at him from the corner of his eye.

"Do you know what I am saying?" Aizen then asked him, walking back to the bookshelf where he had gotten the book. He placed it back on the shelf neatly.

Ulquiorra waited for the man to tell him. "The ends justify the means. Tales of the hunt are only told by the hunters, my dear Espada. None of what happens right now matters, because after the war, it will no longer exist. Things will be told the way we see them, and no one will question it. The victor is never asked the truth because he achieved his goal, how he achieved it is suddenly irrelevant," the man explained. "Do you understand?"

Ulquiorra remained still for a moment. He understood completely; it didn't matter to him that Orihime would die, it didn't matter at all. As long as the ends justified the means, as long as their goal was achieved, none of it mattered. None of it… "Yes my Lord, I understand." He watched as Aizen moved back behind his desk, sitting down in his chair.

"Good, I'm glad you came to discuss this. If that is all, you are dismissed," Aizen said to him. Ulquiorra stood, almost in shock of what had just happened. He had worked this whole (sort of) plan out in his head, and it had just been blown out of the water completely. He had achieved nothing, all of this had been a complete waste of time.

The black-haired man bowed deeply, "thank you for your time my Lord." He turned and started to make his way towards the door. He gripped the handle and pushed it open.

"I trust you are still going to finish the mission I have set for you Ulquiorra? I know you are well aware of your approaching deadline," Aizen suddenly called out to him, making Ulquiorra stop in his tracks. He was expecting the man to bring this up with him, he was only surprised it had not come sooner.

"As you wish, Lord Aizen," he said as he turned towards the man and bowed once again. He righted himself up again, and turned to leave. He walked out the door, walked through the throne room and out the large double doors.

He couldn't get out of there fast enough it seemed. Ulquiorra stood outside the doors, finding the need to simply stand and collect his thoughts. He leaned his back against the wall, closing his eyes against the bright lights. It was clear to him now that negotiation was out of the question. Words would not get him out of this situation. He sighed, _what am I going to do?_

* * *

Gin watched as Ulquiorra walked through the doorway leading from the chamber. The silver-haired man smiled wider, watching the other man leave through the large double doors that led out of the throne room. Gin walked into the chamber, closing the door behind him. He saw Aizen sitting at his desk still, his normal smile adorning his face.

"He hasn't done it yet, has he?" Gin asked the man, walking closer to the desk until he was only a couple feet in front of it.

The former Shinigami chuckled at him, "no, he hasn't."

"He's not gonna, is he?" Gin asked again, although he already knew the answer he would receive.

"No, he won't, that I am sure of," the Captain replied.

"Do ya think he knows that we know about him?" Gin then asked Aizen.

It didn't take Aizen any time to know his response. "No, he doesn't have a clue," he replied. It was obvious during their previous conversation what The Espada had been referring to the whole time, though Aizen was able to brush it off and instead, relate it to something else, while in the process keeping his knowledge to himself.

"So I see, Captain, but what do you think he plans to do instead? He is far too intelligent to simply let the time run out and not at least save himself," the fox asked the other man.

"I know very well what he's going to do, but I'm going to do nothing about it. Ulquiorra is a much darker and mysterious being than most realize, and he is highly capable of completing his goal," Aizen started, standing from the chair. "But, what he hasn't figured out yet, is that him leaving will help me, not hurt." The brown-haired man smiled a knowing smile. Yes, the man already knew how all of this would play out, and Ulquiorra was only playing into it deeper and deeper.

The other man smiled at his master. "I should have expected as much."

* * *

Yeah! NOW things are gettin started! ;) Poor Ulquiorra, he's really having a tough time. No Ulquihime this chapter, sorry guys :/ It's all coming up, don't worry. Aizen seems to know more than he's letting Ulquiorra know doesn't he? Ohhhh Aizen...you intelligent bastard you XD Bit of history for ya there too. I can't help myself sometimes, I love history, especially World War 2 era.

Thanks for reading guys!

Cheers


	7. Undo What's Done

Hey all :D Welcome to chapter 7 ^^ Hope things have been going well and you all have been enjoying your summer break, ik i have been :D Sorry about the delay for this one, i must have re-written it at least 3 times. There were a couple things I wasnt completely sure on, but I think i have it all figured out ;) Sorry for the wait, I have been playing WAAAYYYY too much Company of Heroes and Bad Company 2 XD I promised you guys Ulquihime, and I have delivered (though it has to remain light for now). As always, insight to the chapter lies within the song ;D Enjoy

* * *

_Sometimes the things get so jaded  
Still my heart slowly beats  
Sometimes life gets complicated  
Still the world around me sleeps_

_Sometimes the things get so faded  
How is it that you can't see?  
Sometimes life seems overrated  
Makes my heart slowly bleed_

_I'm ashamed, not to blame  
don't wanna think about it  
Who I am, what I've done  
How do I carry on?  
Wanna change, turn the page  
Don't wanna think about it  
How do I undo what's done?  
Undo what's done!_

_Undone - Five Finger Death Punch_

* * *

Fits of angry cusses exploded from the prisoner block. The sound echoed madly through the brightly lit hallways. Passing servant Arrancar didn't care to stay around, and would hurriedly turn in the other direction to leave.

Inside the prisoner's cell, the overhead lights were on. The normally quiet room was now filled with the angry snarls of a man. He was not a normal visitor to the woman, and so such an occurrence was a rarity in itself.

"Ah, fuck!" Grimmjow hissed angrily as he sat on the large white sofa, teeth gnashed together and eyes sealed shut. His head hung low, elbows braced on his knees. He had a nasty scratch across his right side below his jacket. It oozed blood slowly, dripping down onto his white hakama.

"Hold still please," Orihime said quietly, somewhat afraid of what the angry Espada might do. Her golden dome was surrounding the wounded man, slowly filling in the deep gashes like new. She wore her normal white arrancar uniform, her fiery hair clipped into her hair clips. She stood only a couple feet away from the enraged man, trying to focus on just getting him out of here.

"That bastard Aizen, such bullshit!" he continued to cuss out the man that had presumably done this to him.

"How did he do this to you?" Orihime asked innocently. Grimmjow looked at her through the shield.

* * *

_Grimmjow walked into the throne room without knocking. He had a sort of air about him; it raged with self-confidence and cockiness. His hands were in his pockets, clenched tightly into fists. The throne room was empty, which was odd. _

_Aizen had asked him here, hadn't he? So where was he? He shrugged it off, scoffing about how stupid the man was. _

_The blue-haired man continued to walk towards the back of the throne room, spotting a door off to the left side of the throne he had never noticed before. Raising an eyebrow at it, he turned course towards it. It was partially open, and he could hear Aizen and Gin inside. He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but it didn't matter to him. _

_"Lord Aizen?" he called out into the door, standing tall in the doorway. Gin and Aizen both looked up to him. Aizen was sitting behind a desk while Gin stood off to the side of it. He couldn't tell what they were doing. Inside the room, there were bookshelves lining the walls, all holding countless amounts of books. Lamps were on around the room, giving it a warm light. _

_"Ah, Grimmjow, come in," Aizen told him. The man folded his hands on the desktop as the Espada walked up to the desk. He stood a couple feet away, giving himself a good distance. _

_"Now, would you mind telling me why Loly and Melony's bodies were found in the hallways?"Aizen looked at him with a taunting smile. Grimmjow growled under his breath._

_"They were annoying me," he simply stated._

_"I see, and so you killed them?" the master asked again._

_"I thought they could at least take what I dished out, but apparently not," Grimmjow replied with a sneer. "No one likes them anyway, I did everyone a favor."_

_Aizen smirked, giving a light chuckle at the man's logic. "Grimmjow, I admire your intensions, but we've been over this before. You cannot kill other Arrancar just because you want to," Aizen explained to him. Grimmjow remained silent. _

_"What did I say was going to happen next time this happened?" Aizen then asked. Grimmjow once again, remained silent. What HAD Aizen told him? He hadn't really paid attention since he didn't take it seriously. Last time he had just been mad he got caught._

_"I see, well I'll remind you," he said, giving Gin a nod. In a split second, Gin unsheathed his sword. With an attempt to gore the blue-haired Espada in front of him failing because of the man's reflexes, his blade ended up grazing the man's left side. Though he had managed to dodge the lethal strike, he couldn't miss all of it. The tip of the blade dove into the man's flesh, ripping a section of bloody flesh out with it. _

_Grimmjow gasped, roaring with anger. He doubled over in pain. Blood immediately rushed from the wound, seeping down the man's side. Grimmjow wrapped his arms around the area, finding only that it stung more. He lifted his head to see Gin once again sheathing his blade, the man's fox-like smile ever-present on his face. He returned to Aizen's side, who was smiling equally as wide. _

_Grimmjow pulled his hand away from his side to see it covered in his own sticky blood. "What the fuck was that for?" he demanded of the two men in front of him, enraged._

_"I told you there would be consequences the next time you went against my wishes. You should be thankful that I am choosing to spare your life, my dear Espada," Aizen replied back._

_How could that man sit and talk about sparing his life, then call him a "dear Espada?" The contradictory sickened the blue-haired Espada. _

_He didn't care, he knew he didn't. Grimmjow knew he was nothing more than a disposable pawn to the man, and that stung him worse than a blade ever could. _

_There was a tense silence as the Espada decided which move to make next. He could attack the man for degrading him, shred him and that fox man to pieces. But the thought of self-preservation haunted the back of his mind. He knew better than to attack either of the men. Grimmjow may have been impulsive, but he wasn't stupid, nor was he suicidal._

_"Well, if that is all, you may leave then," Aizen said in a smooth voice. It was more of a command than a suggestion. It left no room for argument._

_Grimmjow simply bowed, though it was forced and creaky, as if his muscles were fighting it . He turned and left, trying so desperately to hold in all the anger that was threatening to overflow from his being. _

_Who did this man think we was? Well, that was simple, the man thought he was a god. Unstoppable, all powerful, and all knowing were a couple words he had used to describe himself. Arrogance was something the man preached was a cloud to the mind, yet his own display was nothing short of egotism at its highest._

_Grimmjow decided that ultimately, he could do nothing about this injustice he had been dealt. But, there was something he could do about the gaping wound that was still dripping blood down his side. With that thought, he turned around the corner towards the prisoner block._

* * *

"So yeah, that's how I ended up here with a fucking hole in my ribs," Grimmjow explained. He was still sitting on the large white sofa in the same position, his anger starting to fade with the wound. "It should be against the fucking law or something for anyone to have to deal with that douche bag."

Orihime nodded slowly from her standing position a couple feet away. As much as she hated to admit it, the man had a point. She found it strange that even the Espada didn't exactly like Aizen, she had always thought of them as fiercely loyal to him and his cause. Perhaps it was because the only Espada she ever spent time with was Ulquiorra, who was an exceptional servant to his master.

"Ya know, I can't wait to blow this dump, get out of here and find something better to do," Grimmjow then said out loud, though to no single person specifically. He looked at Orihime, moving his head up from its previous sagging position. His confession caught her off guard. _He wasn't happy? I thought he liked it here, wasn't it his home?_

"You are not happy here?" she asked, a curious look on her face.

Grimmjow made a scoffing noise. "I don't think anyone really wants to be here, save for that bastard Ulquiorra. Only reason anyone is here is because it's better than what's on the other side of those walls," he motioned with his head towards the wall to his right.

Orihime was somehow saddened by this. There was truly no happiness in the world for any of these beings. What was life without happiness? Was it boring, pointless, or worthless? She supposed the castle itself was an attempt to lift the spirits of those inside it. Its white walls and massive towers were only a veneer of what lay outside. Out there, there was nothing but survival, lawless survival where only the strong got to see the next day.

"Ulquiorra, he likes it here?" Orihime asked Grimmjow with a soft voice.

The Espada raised his head once again to look at her. "He acts like he does, though I would bet deep down in that body of his, he wants out as bad as the rest of us," the man replied.

"I haven't seen him in a couple days…" she then said with a softer tone. Her head tilted down as her eyes stared at the ground half closed. She missed him, especially after how they had left each other. She was starting to feel that maybe he cared, even just a tiny bit about what happened to her. But to have him just leave her like he did, it was a jarring slap to the face.

"No one has, he hasn't even been at meetings for the past couple days," Grimmjow replied to her. He could see that she was missing him, although he couldn't really understand why. He didn't understand the concept of latching onto someone for the sake of sanity. Friendship itself was a vague memory to him from his past life. There was no such thing as friendship in this world, and so the memory was simply lost to the sands of time.

"Do you ever wish you could undo something in your life, Grimmjow?" she asked, her head still facing the ground. He looked up to her, while she lifted her own eyes to his. He could hear the seriousness in her tone, and decided not to tread lightly on the fact that she was opening up to him.

"Heh, yeah, we all have our own regrets Princess, some worse than others," he replied. He was quiet for a moment.

"Do you regret being here?" he asked her. He watched as she closed her eyes.

"No, I don't regret my decision to come here. Though I have put myself in a very bad situation, and I could die at any second, being here has forced me to grow up, which I don't know would have happened otherwise. I am a different person than when I stepped foot into this castle, and if this is what it took to change that, I would not deny it was a good thing," she explained.

"You're lucky you can see it that way, 'cuz I sure as hell don't know anyone who feels the same way," Grimmjow replied to her.

"Sometimes I think if I wasn't so weak before this, it wouldn't have happened at all. The only thing I regret is not realizing that before," she added.

"Yeah, like if I hadn't been such a dumbass, I wouldn't be here either," Grimmjow said. Orihime thought he was talking about his past life as a human, though chose not to pursue it. She knew it was painful for Arrancar to remember their past, if they even could. The last thing she wanted to do was make the man mad again.

After a moment's silence, Orihime spoke again. "What do you think is going to happen to me Grimmjow?" she asked, raising her eyes to his. He looked back into hers, seeing the worry in them. But her fear brought on a different sensation within him. The normal response to seeing fear was overridden with a different desire.

He tilted his head to the side a bit, as if taking in her expression fully. "Same thing that'll happen to all of us Princess, but I wouldn't worry about that shit," he replied in a calm tone. She looked at him, giving him a half-hearted smile.

"Heh, nah, you have Ulquiorra eating out of the palm of your hand," he said with a laugh, "nothing will happen to you." To this, she giggled lightly, trying to hide the blush that crept onto her cheeks. Her whole body warmed at the thought of the Fourth Espada having feelings for her. It was almost comical.

The mood in the room became lighter, and Orihime was beginning to feel more comfortable around the Epsada. He wasn't going to hurt her, and she could see that now. He was only misunderstood, like the rest of the beings in the castle. All he needed was a chance.

When the wound was completely healed, the golden shield that enveloped the man disappeared. She watched as the man looked down at where the wound used to be, smiling fully. "Well I'll be damned, like it never happened," he said with a laugh of relief.

Orihime giggled once again, covering her mouth lightly with one of her hands. "Doesn't hurt?" she asked.

"Like I said, like it never happened," he replied, looking up at her.

"I'm gl-," she was cut off by a noise coming from out in the hallway. The sound of someone stopping at the door in a hurry. The footsteps were hurried and heavy. It confused her. Both her and Grimmjow's attentions were caught.

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing a rather stressed Espada. Orihime's hands slowly dropped to her sides at the sight of him. She had a shocked expression plastered on her face as she stared at him.

"Ulquiorra," she managed to gasp. Her heart rushed and all her limbs suddenly felt shaky. The man was breathing heavily, as if he had been running. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days. His pupils were dilated heavily, obviously only running on adrenaline.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes locked onto Orihime's. His stare was intense, though it lacked his usual focus. She could feel something was off with him. She had never seen him in such a condition.

He turned his head to look at the other Espada sitting on the sofa in the room. His demeanor instantly turned into an offensive one. She could see the anger in his eyes suddenly appear, raging through him from the other male's presence.

"Speak of the devil, there's our favorite sunshine. Where the hell ha-," he didn't get to finish his sentence before Ulquiorra crossed the distance between them. He grabbed the man by the neck, holding him up off the ground. His fingers dug into his neck tightly in a death-grip, threatening to tear the flesh. His eyes were screaming in anger as they bore into the blue-haired man's. The veins in Ulquiorra's hands were surfaced, flooding his entire body with adrenaline.

Grimmjow gagged for breath, unable to speak. His nails desperately dug into Ulquiorra's wrist, trying to get him to at least loosen his grip. His teeth were clenched, exaggerated canines showing clearly.

Orihime gasped at her captor's show of anger. He was never one to show such emotions, and always had his thoughts in control. But this apparent loss of control was scaring her. Her hands covered her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

"What are you doing here?" Ulquiorra asked him a deep, angry tone. Grimmjow tried to answer, but was unable to get any air into his lungs. As a result, the only sound he could make was a gagging sound. His lungs burned like mad, begging for oxygen. His chest was so tight he felt he would collapse.

"Answer me, trash," he threatened again, jerking the man around in the air. The situation was becoming frightening to Orihime. She didn't want to see anyone get hurt, she hated seeing pain. To think that Ulquiorra would kill the man right in front of her horrified her.

The man gasped, trying to get words out. "We-, we were just-," he struggled to get his last words out. "Just-, talking!"

The Fourth raised an eyebrow to his confession, as if he didn't believe him. He looked over to the woman standing a couple feet away. She looked horrified, eyes wide with fear.

It pained him to see her in such a condition. His chest began to get tight, and his muscles relaxed slightly. As a result, his grip on the man lessened slightly, allowing his to at least breath a bit. He gasped for air while he could, the burning in his lungs being soothed.

"Is this claim true, Onna?" Ulquiorra asked her in a lighter tone, though it still held the same anger.

She found herself frozen with fear, threatening to keep her mouth quiet. Without saying a word, she was able to nod her head in confirmation.

Then, Ulquiorra let his grip go, dropping the man to the floor. Grimmjow fell to the ground on his knees, gasping for air. His hands held his neck protectively, gently massaging the sore area. "God dammit Ulquiorra," he cussed under his breath in a raspy voice.

Grimmjow turned his head towards Orihime, a knowing smile gracing his lips. "Told ya," he muttered to her, his smile only growing. She gave him a small smile in reply. Before she could blink, Ulquiorra had grabbed the man's jacket, lifting him up with one arm. He brought him up to eye-level.

"Before I demand an explanation, I suggest you leave, immediately," he said threateningly, staring the man in the eye. He dropped the man on his feet, letting him turn to leave.

"Alright alright I'm out," Grimmjow decided it was not worth it to push the man any further, especially in the presence of Orihime. There was no telling the man would do.

He walked past Ulquiorra, minding to bump his shoulder into his as if to push him out of the way. Before he went out the door, he stopped and turned towards Orihime.

"By the way, I owe ya one Princess," he said with a smile. She looked at him with a smile. Somehow she knew this wouldn't be the last that she saw of him. She watched as he rounded the corner, walking down the hallway out of sight.

Her attention turned to Ulquiorra, who stood a couple feet away looking at her. There were no words exchanged between them. Their eyes were connected, giving all the conversation that was needed. She could see the exhaustion in his intense green eyes, the stress, the anticipation, though she didn't know why. In her eyes, he could see relief, though logically he couldn't understand why. Shouldn't she be afraid of him?

"I missed you," she said softly, interrupting his thoughts completely. With all the relief and happiness that came with seeing him again, she couldn't help but feel sadness. This sadness, it came with knowing the fact that what she had thought about them was fake; nothing but an illusion. For all she knew, it was an order given to him by Aizen.

She couldn't bear to look at him anymore, it hurt too much. She turned around, facing the lonely moon that seemed to be the only remaining constant in her current life. She felt like she could relate to it, being the only thing giving light to this dark place.

Ulquiorra could plainly see she was upset, he only wished he knew how to stop it. He cursed himself for knowing so little about human behavior.

"I," he started, his deep voice echoing in the large cell. She didn't move in front of him. "I am sorry."

His words came as surprise to Orihime, an apology was the last thing she expected out of the man, though it was not unwelcomed. She blinked, letting a single tear drop down her cheek. Orihime turned to face him. His expression was softer than before, and any fear that she had had towards him was then gone.

"Sorry for what?" she bit back, furrowing her eyebrows.

He sighed, sucking up his pride. Ulquiorra was not one to admit his faults. He was not used to feeling this way. "I am sorry for my display of anger in front of you, I have no excuse."

Orihime somewhat ignored his words, walking past him to sit on the white sofa. She laid her head in her hands, bracing her elbows on her knees. He was avoiding the real question she had, they both knew it.

He turned around to look at her, taking a few steps toward her. He stopped only a couple inches from her position on the sofa. She said nothing, and refused to look at him. He sighed, knowing simply talking to her would not solve this problem he had created.

Ulquiorra turned and sat down on the sofa, leaving a couple inches of space between them. He leaned against his knees on his elbows, trying to understand what he could do. His gaze was locked on the ground in front of him as he thought.

Orihime looked over at him, trying to ignore the feelings rising up within her with how close he was to her.

"Why did you leave me?" she asked in a serious tone. Another tear started to drop from her eye, falling down her cheek.

He closed his eyes. "Like I said, I have no excuse," he replied, knowing that keeping her naïve to the true reason would be safer. He couldn't imagine having to tell her that Aizen wanted her dead, or the fact that he was supposed to kill her. He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't take away the innocence that he loved about her. Being exposed to his world was damaging enough, to damage her further was a sin in itself.

"Are you going to be bringing my food again like normal now?" she asked, still looking at him. He turned his gaze to meet hers. She looked into his eyes, only seeing conflict within them. He was thinking of what to say. If his plan was to go into effect, would she have anymore meals?

"Yes," he finally replied after a second or two of silence. Orihime could feel that something was still not right with his response. He was conflicted with something, though what, she still didn't have any idea.

"Are you alright Ulquiorra? You don't seem to be acting normal," she suddenly asked in a shaky voice, breaking the silence. Her question caught him by surprise. It was impossible for anyone to tell what he was thinking most of the time, yet she had seen it clear as day. Orihime could read him better than anyone he had ever encountered. Knowing her nature, he supposed it was to be expected.

"Do not concern yourself with me, I will be fine," he replied. His pale hand reached up to her face, gently wiping away a tear that fell down her cheek. Her skin was so warm to the touch, almost burning the pad of his thumb. He couldn't quite decide whether the new feeling was something he should like or not, but that didn't stop the odd feeling that was starting to boil within him.

Though it was a simple gesture, yet it meant to world to Orihime. Just to have the chance to be near him was a gift in itself. It meant she was not alone.

She smiled lightly at him, though she didn't expect him to do anything in return. Sometimes she doubted he knew how to smile, or show any type of emotion for that matter. The thought made her giggle quietly. Ulquiorra tilted his head to the side as if confused by her reaction.

"What is so funny, Onna?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Just the thought of you smiling, it's funny," she replied. He found it intriguing how her moods could change in the blink of an eye, on the outside at least. He wasn't quite sure how to read her yet. She was a mystery to him.

"Why is such a thought funny, Onna?" he asked, curious. Her thought process was indeed something he had never encountered before.

"Just to see you do something so human, it's something I would never expect out of you," she explained to him with a smile on her face.

"I see," was his response. He didn't find this idle chatter to be annoying, in fact, it was at the least, entertaining. It was something to keep his mind off what was lurking in due time for both of them. Having to carry around such a secret, combined with an extreme lack of sleep was taking its toll on his mind.

"Onna," he suddenly said, looking at her directly. She looked back at him, focused on what he would say.

"Tell me about the Human World," he said. "What is your everyday life like in the Human World?"

He watched her eyes light up with excitement. He had never expressed even slight interest of the Human World, especially her life. How badly she wanted someone to talk to. It was like a dream come true for her. She giggled softly, smiling brightly.

"Well, the Human World is full of green grass, beautiful flowers, blue water and fluffy white clouds. It's especially pretty in the spring and summer," she explained, remembering the world in her mind as it was.

Even Ulquiorra couldn't hide the smallest smirk that crawled onto his lips. He was careful to hide it, making sure that Orihime didn't see it.

"That sounds like a fairytale, Onna. I highly doubt it is actually as you describe," he remarked.

"But haven't you been to the Human World? You would have seen it," she then said. She remembered the time she had first met him, in the park with Yammy.

"Yes, I have, a few times. But, as I was there on a mission, I hardly had time to take in the scenery," he replied to her. Indeed he remembered being there, but he had been too busy ridiculing that bumbling idiot Yammy to really notice anything around him.

"Well it really is. Summer is the best, mostly because I don't have to go to school and my friends and I go to the beach! It's a lot of fun," she said, leaning back against the back of the sofa. In order to keep eye contact with her, Ulquiorra did the same. He crossed his leg over the other, finding the alluring softness of the sofa a dangerous lure to slumber.

"You and your friends spend a lot of time together?" he asked, in order to keep the conversation going.

"Of course! We go shopping, eat ice cream, watch movies, and talk all the time! It's nice for me to be able to be with them a lot, it keeps me from getting lonely," she added, her tone changing to a softer one.

Ulquiorra tilted his head in curiosity. "You get lonely?" he asked. With such a personality, he thought she would not be one to ever feel that way. Of course, he had seen her feel that way in Las Noches, but he assumed that her behavior here was nothing like it was in her home world.

"Yeah, sometimes. Since I live alone, my only family is my friends. I guess that's why we spend so much time together," she explained.

"I do not understand, do young humans not live with their parents?" he asked. Her confession confused him, from what he knew about human nature, young humans lived with their parents until they were older than she was currently. Why was she living alone?

"Yeah, they do, but my parents weren't exactly good parents. They used to beat my older brother and I. Finally, to get me out of that environment, my brother took me away from them and bought an apartment when I was very young," she said.

"So you live with your brother?" he asked deeply.

She shook her head slowly, closing her eyes. "I used to, but he was killed in a car accident a year ago. Ever since I have been by myself."

Such a thing surprised Ulquiorra. Never before had he met someone who had suffered so much in their life, and still had the good-nature to love everything in life. She was truly a mystery to him.

A single tear dripped down her face. "He," she started, trying to keep herself from crying, "he turned into a hollow, because he couldn't let go of me and move on to Soul Society."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened at her confession. Her brother was a hollow? He wondered how such a caring person as her brother could be turned into such a creature simply out of love. It was slightly discomforting.

"My, apologies, Onna. I did not mean to make you relive such a thing," he said. The words leaving his lips left a funny feeling on them. Sympathy was not something the Fourth was accustomed to.

"No, don't be. It helps to talk about it," she said.

"I see," was his response.

He laid his head back against the sofa, surrendering to the exhaustion that had its grip on him for a moment. It was like the sofa was pulling his body towards it, luring him into slumber his body so desired. The lights were bright above, showing through his closed eyelids, though they didn't bother him. His mind was much too tired to register such a thing.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the quiet. It was a welcome relief for Ulquiorra, who had now gone days without sleep.

Orihime had laid her head back against the sofa back as well, her hands in her lap. The only thing she could think of was being so close to Ulquiorra, and being awake to realize it this time. She hadn't quite figured out what was getting into him. Though he would never admit it, she could tell he was acting different than normal. But, she chose to leave it alone, seeing as she didn't want it to stop.

Ulquiorra could start to feel a pounding in his head. It got stronger and stronger as the seconds went by. What started as an annoying ringing in his ears was soon growing into an unbearable screech. He brought his head forward, sitting up. He rubbed his temples to try and sooth the savage stress headache.

Orihime looked at him with concern. "Ulquiorra, are you ok?" she asked, pushing her hand forward to rest on his shoulder gently.

"Yes, I will be fine," he said, standing up. She watched his stand, looking up at him from her sitting position.

"I should go," he then added. He found that his eyes were sensitive to the harsh lights of the room. Orihime stood, walking up to him.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then," she said. Stepping close to him, she wrapped her arms around his torso in a hug. She rested her head in the crook of his neck, taking in his unique scent. To her surprise, he didn't stiffen at the contact. Instead, his arms slowly began to close around her. He seemed much calmer than normal. His body seemed lax, though she wasn't complaining.

Orihime could feel his body through the clothes he wore. His collar bone was easily felt, hinting at his slimmer body type. Though she had previously thought his body would be stone cold, she was once again proven wrong with her assumption. His body was in fact, quite warm and comforting.

Ulquiorra, either out of pure exhaustion or something else, gently let his chin fall until it was laying on her fiery red hair. He inhaled her scent. It was warm and soft, though it held a unique female aroma to it. He found himself desiring more of it, though at the time he couldn't really understand why.

Before the situation became a dangerous one, he let his arms fall back to his sides. She in turn, let him go. They both looked into each other's eyes.

"Alright," he responded. She gave him a last smile before he turned to make his way out of the cell. He made sure to close the door tight behind him as not to walk in upon a surprise visitor again. Walking down the hallways, he made it a point to not make eye contact with any of the servants roaming the halls. He was not in the mood to talk to anyone, being as tired as he was.

Once he made it to his room, he quickly closed to the heavy door behind him. His room was dark, not a single light on from when he left it that morning. He thought back to what he had been thinking during that time, but quickly stopped himself, as it would hinder his attempts to gain so well-needed rest.

Finding his bed pulling him closer and closer, he finally gave into it, practically falling onto the surface. As soon as his head hit the pillow, all of his thoughts came to a complete halt.

_Two days…_

Within seconds, he was asleep.

* * *

Aizen sat in the command chair inside the room, gazing at all the different screens showing various places around the castle. Gin was at his side, standing motionless. His smile was ever-present, scanning over all the different screens for something interesting. Aizen's attention seemed to be on one in particular.

He watched the Fourth Espada in a deep sleep in his quarters. He had seen the Espada earlier that day, and then watched as he had gone to check on his charge. There was truly nothing that happened in his castle that he didn't know about.

"Looks like all those days without sleep finally caught up with him," Gin remarked, watching the screen.

"Well he must be fully rested to complete my orders, now mustn't he?" Aizen said, turning his head towards Gin with a knowing smirk. Gin simply chuckled lightly. Both of them knew very well such a thing would not happen, but kept it between themselves as an inside joke almost.

"I would suppose so," was his response.

"So what are you going to do to him after he 'escapes'?" Gin asked Aizen.

Aizen chuckled deeply. "For the time being, nothing. I'll let him have a bit of time to get accustomed to things in the Human World. After all, you don't know what you have until it's gone, no?" he explained.

"You are such an evil genius Lord Aizen," Gin remarked, "an evil genius indeed."

* * *

Outside the throne room, a certain Sixth Espada was meaning to enter. He was here to talk to Aizen about what had happened earlier. He just couldn't let it go! To be punished in such a way for helping everyone around him, it just wasn't right.

The throne room's doors were open, a rarity. Usually they were sealed shut. He raised an eyebrow at this, choosing to instead peek in and see what was happening. He could hear voices, though he didn't know where they were coming from.

Peering deeper into the room, he could see a light coming from a room not even he had known was there. The light was bright and white, seemingly from an electronic screen, or many in this case. He listened carefully to the voices he heard.

_"So what are you going to do to him after he 'escapes'?"_ Grimmjow knew that voice. It was none other than Gin. How he detested that man. But who were they talking about? Who was going to escape? The blue-haired man was suddenly very jealous of this supposed escapee. He wanted nothing more than to get out of this rat-hole.

He heard a low chuckle. _"For the time being, nothing. I'll let him have a bit of time to get accustomed to things in the Human World." _He knew that voice as well, it was Aizen. So, someone was going to escape to the Human World, and he was going to do nothing about it? The news confused Grimmjow.

Before he heard anymore of the conversation, he turned and quickly left. He didn't want to be caught listening in on anything. Heh, he would be in even more trouble if that were to happen. He walked down the hallways away from the throne room, deciding it best to keep quiet about what he had seen, and heard for a bit.

* * *

There we have it, another chapter done! Looks like Grimmjow has made his appearance, and for once he isnt making things worse XD I look forward to the next one, much will happen! Hope to keep you all entertained once again soon!

Cheers


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